TARLAC – American Sam Gillis put in a solid six-under 66 to seize a one-stroke lead over Finland╒s Janne Kaske and Thai Nirun Sae Ueng at the start of the PGT Asia Qualifying School at the Luisita Golf and Country Club here yesterday.

Gilis charged home at the front with three birdies in the last four holes in one of the late flights to get past Kaske and Sae Ueng and seize early control in the 72-hole elims which drew a full-packed field of 132 players vying for the top 40-plus slots.

Kaske also had a six-under card built around a three-birdie string from No. 4 but bogeyed the seventh and dropped to joint second with Sae Ueng, who anchored his impressive opening round bid with a backside 31, highlighted by a four-birdie binge from No. 15.

He birdied the second to likewise go six-under but dropped two strokes on the par-4 No. 3 before holing out with a birdie on the ninth.

“I played well today (yesterday),” said the 23-year-old Gillis, who despite his bogey-free round rued his poor putting.

“I missed a lot of short birdie putts. But overall my great was great,” added the Californian, who has been campaigning in Asia since January.

The foreign bets dominated the action in scorching heat as the local struggled at the tight, hazard-laden layout with Richnell Albano and Francis Morilla carding identical 72s to emerge the leading Filipino bidders after 18 holes.

Meanwhile, Korean Tom Kim (Kim Joo Hyung), opting to go big-time at 18 after a dominant stint in the amateurs, including the recent Philippine Am Open last January and the WExpress RVF Cup last February which he both ruled, turned in an impressive bogey-free 69 to be among the early contenders for low medal honors in the 72-hole elims organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Other three-under par scorers were Aussie Clayton Bridges, Korean Lee Song and Thai Sattaya Supupramai while Englishman Benjamin David, Japanese Koutaka Iha and Issei Mori, Aussie Damien Jordan, Korean Park Jun Sung, Thais Nattawat Sujavanakorn and Pitipat Pitiman-aree, and Josh Salah of the US all carded 70s.

The 40-plus ties on Saturday will join the top 50 players from last year╒s inaugural Philippine Golf Tour Asia Order of Merit and the top 30 from the local PGT OOM ranking in the $100,000 kickoff event of the second PGT Asia put up by ICTSI starting next week, also at the quaint Tarlac layout.

Meanwhile, the PGTA, organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., will take a month-long break to give way to the PGT circuit with the Riviera Golf and Country Club in Silang, Cavite hosting the second leg on May 30-June for the ICTSI Riviera Classic.