LaO and Jobim Carlos, a 17-year-old former jungolfer, shot three birdies on consistent nines of 38-39 for a 155 total after an opening-day 78.

"My partner is very solid despite his youth," said LaO, a mainstay for the Philippines in the 1998 World Team Amateurs in Santiago, Chile, who turned pro three years ago.

LaO and Carlos were two strokes up on Ronald Pactolerin and Marbon Gonzales (78-79) and three on Marlon Dizon and Bones Floro (80-78) in the U-Bix-sponsored event offering a record pot of P3 million.

Joel Opaco and Jett Plete came in late with an 80 to snatch a share of third with Dizon-Floro at 158 in the tournament that stakes a record top prize of P519,000 to the winners tomorrow.

Jun Cedo and Jesse Balasabas produced a 2-over-par 73 for the only decent score in two days at The Riviera’s Langer Course that was spared yesterday of the killer winds that prevailed Wednesday.

Cedo and Balasabas, hampered by a first-day 87, were at 160, five shots off the pace in a tie with Roger Diocares and Jae Yang, the first-round joint leaders.

Diocares and Yang followed up their 77 with an 83, coming home with a 41 yesterday in the event that is staking a Toyota Vios as a hole-in-one prize at No. 4.

Despite almost ideal conditions, the 73 of Cedo and Balasabas stood as the best round in the tournament organized by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.

Dizon and Floro made the most out of their superb stint on the greens where they putted only 29 times.

"As usual, Bones carried the team with his fine putting," said Dizon, the 30-year-old pro who honed his skills in the San Diego World Juniors in the ‘80s.

"Today, we one-putted seven holes and overall, we only had two three-putt miscues."

Pactolerin, 35, and Gonzales, 37, stumbled into a triple bogey 8 on 16 and a last-hole bogey for a 79.

They had a 78 on Wednesday.

"We just kept our cool," said Pactolerin, the younger brother of former Philippine Open champion Robert Pactolerin, in Tagalog. "The pro-am secret has been to always maintain your composure."

Pactolerin and Gonzales, a three-time national football player from Bukidnon, have teamed up for the first time like present leaders LaO and Carlos.

A stroke back at 161 were joint first-round leaders Mike Bibat and Anthony Fernando after an 84 in a tie for fourth with the tandems of Edgar BagtasI.L. Jo (83-78) and Ebarra Quiachon-JR Quiachon (81-80).

Next were Ronnie Torrecampo and Mario Labajo at 162 after a 79, followed at 163 by Mars Pucay ang Canlubang upstart Joey Magcalayo (81).

Rounding out the Top 10 deadlocked at 164 were three-time champion Gerard Cantada and new partner Erwin Vinluan after an 80, Fernando Sta. Maria-Dino Villanueva (79) and Jerome Delariarte-Park Hyun Keun (84).