Paolo Wong fashioned out a gutsy even par 72 while Junia Gabasa scrambled for a 74 in tough conditions as they took charge in their respective divisions at the start of the Philippine Junior Amateur Open Golf Championships at the Sherwood Hills Golf Club in Trece Martires, Cavite yesterday.
Wong hit two birdies against a bogey at the front but wavered in the last nine holes, dropping a stroke on the par-3 16th to settle for a 35-37 card and a one-stroke lead over Paolo Barro, who matched Wong’s frontside card but stumbled with back-to-back bogeys from No. 12 for a 73.
Unlike Wong and Barro, Carl Corpus bounced back from a woeful 41 start with a sizzling 35 to save a 76 but lay four shots off the pace in the 72-hole stroke play tournament serving as the third leg of this year’s PLDT Group National Amateur Tour and organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.
The rest of the bidders in the centerpiece Albatross division (15-18) also struggled in hot, windy conditions with Sean Ramos limping with a 77 and pre-tournament favorites Aidric Chan and Josh Jorge hobbling with 78 and 81, respectively.
Gabasa, on the other hand, launched her drive for a follow-up to her victory in WExpress RVF Cup in Canlubang, coming through with two birdies against the same number of bogeys and a double-bogey, her 37-37 card proving enough to drive her past Maria Tee in the event sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation, PLDT Group, Cignal and Metro Pacific.
Tee actually wrested control with a 37 after nine holes, went 2-up with a birdie on No. 10 but bogeyed the last three for a 75 with Korean Kang Da Yun in joint third with Kayla Nocum at 77 and Mafy Singson making a 78.
Meanwhile, Wiggam Tapdasan stumbled with an 81 but still posted a 14-shot lead over Gerrard Park (95) in the Ace category (19-and-above) of the four-day tournament which also features the Eagle division for boys and girls.
Korean Kim Tae Soo turned in a 78 to seize a one-stroke lead over Leandro Bagtas, Zachary Castro and Jet Hernandez, who all carded 79s, while Miguel Ilas stood four shots adrift with 82 in boys’ play of the 12-14 age category.
Rianne Malixi, meanwhile, took command in girls’ category with a 74 for a big four-stroke lead over Arnie Taguines and Eagle Ace Superal, who both had 78s, with Samantha Dizon and Laurea Duque groping for an 81 and 82, respectively.
Blanco, Isabela Tee, Kayla Nocum and Korean Kang Da Yun.
Meanwhile, listup for the MVPSF Visayas Regional Golf Championship is ongoing with another huge field expected to clash for top honors in the fourth staging of the event on April 8-12 at Cebu Country Club.
Fees are pegged at P3,000 (men’s and ladies division) for local players and P4,000 for foreign entries and P2,500 (local) and P3,500 (foreign) for those competing in the Mid-Amateur Open category. Fee for club members is P1,500, according to NGAP.