CABANATUAN CITY, Philippines — Hyun Ho Rho demonstrated his readiness for a Tour breakthrough by dominating the Lakewood course with an impressive frontside birdie run then rebounded from a backside slip with a strong finish to fire a 66, displacing Jhonnel Ababa atop the ICTSI Lakewood Championship leaderboard on Tuesday.

After battling his way back from a series of challenges since his winning start in Davao last March, Ababa found himself leading the P2.5 million championship with a 67 in one of the early groups. However, he yielded the first-day honors to a hot-charging Rho four flights later, as the young Korean capped a lead-grabbing six-under card with two birdies in the last three holes.