Phl flounders, tumbles to fifth in Lion City Cup

HONG KONG – The defending champion Philippine junior team yielded to poor form and limped home with a horrible 17-over 227 as it fell by 16 shots behind a steady Thailand crew halfway through the Lion City Cup of the Southeast Asian Amateur Golf Team Championships here yesterday.
Gio Gandionco, who made a 73 in Tuesday’s opener, had a rollercoaster round at the up-and-down Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club course, making three birdies, three bogeys and two double bogeys for a four-over 74, the best score in a day of floundering fortunes for the souped-up squad.
Rupert Zaragoza, the reigning national junior and men’s champion, failed to get going after dropping two strokes on No. 12, hitting just one birdie against four more bogeys for a 75 after a 74, while Andres Saldaña, who didn’t count with a 79 Tuesday, made five bogeys and two double bogeys against a lone birdie for a 78 that still counted for the team.
Clyde Mondilla, the best scorer in the first round with a 71, stumbled with a bogey and a double bogey in the first five holes at the back then made a 9 at the par-5 15th for a 42 then fumbled with another double bogey and a bogey against a birdie for a 37 and a 79.
It was a sorry round indeed for the Filipino junior players, who started the day just three behind the Thais after a decent 218 but will start today’s third round 16 strokes behind with a 445 aggregate and in fifth place in a field of six.
Led by reigning Vietnam Amateur Open champion Chanchok Dejpiratanamongkol and last year’s Thai Junior champion Pariwat Pinsawat’s 71s and Somprad Rattansuwan’s 72, Thailand pooled a 214 for a 429 and posted a 10-shot lead over new pursuers Indonesia, which assembled a 439, and Malaysia, which shot the day’s best output of 213, for 439s.
Singapore also bounced back from a 227 with a 215 to move up to fourth at 442, relegating the Philippines, which beat Thailand by four to win last year’s crown in Malaysia, to second-to-last.
Hong Kong even bettered the Phl’s second day effort with a 225 but remained in last at 462.
Meanwhile, the Santi Cup team of Dottie Ardina, Chihiro Ikeda, Andie Unson and Jayvie Agojo, and the Putra Cup squad of John Kier Abdon, Art Arbole, Zanie Boy Gialon and Lloyd Go were still playing at presstime.
Ikeda, the reigning Philippine Ladies Open champion, fired a three-under 32 after nine holes while Ardina, the top scorer in the first round with a 68, had an even par card while Unson had a one-over for the ICTSI-backed ladies team, which led Thailand by three after 18 holes.
The Putra Cup team, dead last after the first round of the Putra Cup, remained in the cellar at 443 after a 222 as Zanie Boy Gialon hit a 71, Lloyd Go groped with a 75 and Art Arbole made a 76. They stood 19 shots off new leader Hong Kong, which fired a 207 for a 424, one ahead of erstwhile leader Indonesia, which shot a 215 for a 425.
Malaysia moved up to third with a 427 after a 208 while Singapore dropped to fourth at 429 after a 214 followed by Myanmar (215-434) and defending champion Thailand (219-439).
The three-team Phl contingent’s campaign in the event is sanctioned by the National Golf Association of the Phils. and supported by ICTSI and the Philippine Sports Commission. The coaches are Carito Villaroman (men’s), Bong Lopez (ladies) and Boyet Zaragoza (juniors) with NGAP’s head for golf development Tommy Manotoc as head of delegation.(pr)