Jahns off to hot start with 64, leads ICTSI Forest Hills Classic

ANTIPOLO – Keanu Jahns continued his stellar form from his near-miss at Splendido Taal in July, carding a sensational seven-under-par 64 to wrest a slim one-shot lead over a surging Enrico Gallardo in the rain-hit ICTSI Forest Hills Classic at the Nicklaus course here Wednesday.

Jahns navigated the challenging conditions with ease, firing eight birdies against a lone bogey to secure the top spot after the opening round of the P2-million championship.

An hour-long rain delay did little to slow Jahns' momentum. After a fiery start through the first 12 holes, he birdied the par-5 16th and finished his round with six straight pars, delivering a championship-caliber 30-34 round.

“I managed the course very well,” Jahns said, attributing his success to his steady driving and sharp iron play. His long-range putting, which saw him sink birdies from 15, 20, and 25 feet, was a particular highlight.

"The greens were a bit softer, so the balls were stopping faster, but I made a lot of long putts, and that really highlighted my round," he added.

However, Jahns knows that a hot start alone won’t secure his first Philippine Golf Tour title. Two months ago at Splendido, he closed with a bogey-free 67 but fell just short, losing by one stroke to veteran Tony Lascuña in the ICTSI Splendido Championship. That near-miss has only sharpened his determination, as he came out firing in this P2-million event, the seventh leg of the PGT circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.

Equally impressive was Gallardo, who came out swinging with a 65, lighting up the course with four consecutive birdies starting at No. 8. Despite a bogey on No. 14, he bounced back with three birdies over the final four holes, posting his best opening round since turning professional in 2017.

"Yeah, this is my strongest start, and hopefully, I can maintain it for the rest of the week," said Gallardo, who has had a couple of Top 7 finishes at Caliraya Springs and Lakewood earlier this year.

Gallardo, like many players, had to deal with the rain delay but stayed focused throughout. "I didn’t let the stoppage affect me. I just did some stretching and focused on taking it one shot at a time," he said.

Meanwh