By Jean Malanum

MANILA – Guido van der Valk carded the day’s best two-under-par 70 on Thursday, highlighted by an eagle and a birdie putt, to grab a two-stroke lead in the third round of The Country Club Invitational in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
He took the top spot at one-over 217 after first round co-leader LJ Go stumbled with two bogeys in the final seven holes and settled for a 74 and a 219.
Clyde Mondilla dropped to third place at 220 after posting a 77. He made a birdie on the par-5 second hole but had a triple bogey and a bogey from No. 4. He managed another birdie on the 10th but had a double bogey on the 16th.
The two-time champion van der Valk, however, remained cautious despite his two-stroke lead.
“This golf course is difficult to dominate because mistakes are easy to make and birdies are hard to come by. Everyone is facing the same challenges. I’ve been lucky to win it twice, but that doesn’t guarantee I’ll do it again. There are too many great players in contention,” the Manila-based Dutchman, who won the title in 2020 and 2023, said.
Aidric Chan and Reymon Jaraula submitted identical rounds of 76, tying for fourth at 221, followed by Minwook Gwon (73) and Jay Bayron (77) at 222.
Keanu Jahns and Kakeru Ozeki also posted 76s for a joint eighth-place finish at 224, while Jhonnel Ababa and Albin Engino registered 75s to join Nilo Salahog (78) in 10th place at 226.
Defending champion Tony Lascuna is at 227, in a tie for 13th with Daiya Suzuki (74), while three-time TCC winner Angelo Que finished with a 77 for a share of 15th place at 228 alongside Asian Tour rookie Sean Ramos and Hyun Ho Rho, who posted 76s.
The PHP6-million tournament, held in honor of International Container Terminal Services (ICTSI) founder Don Pocholo Razon, will award PHP2 million to the winner. (PNA)