Hernandez all but buries field with 12-shot lead after second 65

Jet Hernandez

NGAP

MANILA, Philippines — If consistency helps define a golfing campaign, Jet Hernandez has certainly provided plenty of evidence to back that up, putting himself in prime position to defend his crown in the National Stroke Play Championship.

Hernandez continued to make the Pinatubo course at Pradera Verde Golf and Country Club in Lubao, Pampanga look like his own personal playground, firing a second straight seven-under 65 on Thursday to blow the premier amateur event wide open.

Coming off a flawless opening-round highlighted by an eagle, Hernandez remained relentless, carding 10 birdies against three bogeys for another dazzling round and a 36-hole total of 14-under 130.

The sustained brilliance gave the 21-year-old national team standout and 2024 champion a commanding 12-shot lead entering the final two rounds, turning what was a seven-shot overnight cushion into a massive advantage that left the rest of the field scrambling merely for second place.

"There are still two rounds left," the psychology senior at University of Denver said. "I will have the same mindset, the same goals and will stay in the present and stay calm (for the last two rounds)."

In the ladies division, Lisa Sarines slowed with a 72 after a 70 but still hiked her lead to seven strokes at 142 as Tashanah Balangauan hobbled with a 76 for a 149, while Precious Zaragosa hardly improved from a 78 with a 76 for a 154.

Starting on No. 10, Sarines, a multi-titled campaigner on the Junior PGT, stumbled with an opening bogey but quickly recovered with a birdie on the next hole. She then strung together five straight pars before birdieing the 17th. After another par, she missed a couple of scoring opportunities and dropped another shot on the par-5 seventh, carding a 38-32 for the round.

Balangauan also opened with a bogey-birdie combination then bounced back from a bogey on the 14th with a birdie on No. 16. However, she struggled on the front nine, bogeying the first three holes before adding two more bogeys against a birdie to finish with a 41-35.

Zaragosa parred her first four holes but bogeyed three of the next four and was unable to recover. She fumbled with two more bogeys against a birdie on the ninth, closing with a 37-39.

Back in boys’ play, with the usually challenging Pinatubo layout offering little resistance in the absence of the wind, Hernandez never eased off the attack. Instead, he continued piling up birdies as part of his buildup for next week's Philippine Amateur Open at Luisita Golf and Country Club, where the format shifts from stroke play to match play.

Starting at the back nine, Hernandez birdied Nos. 10 and 12 before stiffing his tee shot on the par-3 15th for another birdie. His first bogey in two days came on No. 16, but any hint of a slowdown quickly disappeared as he responded with consecutive birdies on the last two holes of his opening side.

He carried that momentum to the front nine with birdies on the first two holes, extending his run to four straight. Another bogey at No. 3 briefly interrupted his charge, but he bounced back with birdies on Nos. 6, 7 9 to offset his third miscue on the eighth and complete yet another imposing 65.

Rolando Bregente and Chris Remata, Hernandez's teammates in the national pool, moved into second and third, respectively, but remained miles behind the tournament leader. Bregente bounced back strong with a 67 after a 75 but stood 12 shots behind at 142, while Remata settled for a 72 and a 147.

Overnight second placer Vito Sarines failed to keep pace after a disastrous backside 40. He struggled to a 78 and dropped into a share of seventh with Jacob Rolida, who also faltered with a 76, at 150.

Jed Dy joined Remata at third after a 71, while Paolo Barro and Emilio Hernandez matched 148s after 74 and 75, respectively, in the four-day tournament organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.