Guioguio holds off Ikeda, bags Sarawak plum

Lovelynn Guioguio finally nailed the big one, beating fancied ICTSI teammate

Chihiro Ikeda by three shots despite a closing two-over 74 to capture the

Sarawak Amateur Open crown at the the Sarawak Golf Club Resort in Malaysia

Sunday.

Guioguio nearly lost a five-shot lead as she lost her rhythm off the tee with

two water-laced drives, enabling Ikeda to close to within one with five holes to

go. But she gained a decisive three-shot swing with a birdie on No. 14 which

Ikeda double-bogeyed from an errant drive and cruised to victory with a 220

aggregate.

“Iplayed tough and hung in there,” said Guioguio, who also came through with a

couple of clutch par-saving putts on Nos. 16 and 17 to hold off the charging

Ikeda and secure her first international victory.

The Fil-Japanese, the reigning Philippine Ladies Open and Thailand Ladies Open

champion, wound up with an even par 72 for a 223 while Jayvie Agojo failed to

sustain a solid 35 with a 40 and finished with a 75.

The former Phil Ladies Open winner, however, completed the ICTSI-backed bets’

domination of the event as she ended up tied for third at 227 with Malaysian Nur

Durriyay, who carded a 74.

“Lovelynn showed a big fighting heart and was able to check her skid. This win

should further boost her confidence heading to this week’s Malaysian Amateur,”

said ICTSI team coach Bong Lopez.

Sarah Ababa made a second straight 77 and wound up with a 234 while Sunshine

Baraquiel had an 82 for a 242.

Guioguio birdied No. 9 from five feet to save a 36 and keep a four-shot lead at

the turn as Ikeda shot a 35 with birdies on Nos. 3 and 4 against a bogey on the

second. But she hit wayward shots off the mound on Nos. 12 and 13, resulting to

bogeys and allowing Ikeda to close to within one.

But Ikeda pushed her drive into the water hazard on No. 14 and ended up with a

double-bogey, blowing her bid for another title abroad. PR

Pinays barge into NZ match play quarters

Jayvie Agojo, Lovelynn Guioguio and Chihiro Ikeda each posted back-to-back victories Saturday to roll into the quarterfinal round of the match play event of the 2011 New Zealand Women's Amateur Golf Championship in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Agojo, seeking a followup to her victory in last week’s NZ Foursomes with ICTSI teammate Sarah Ababa, needed an extra hole to nip Hanna Seifert, 1-up, in the first round of the knockout phase then clobbered Jaime McIvor, 5&3, in the second round to make it to the Last 8.

Guioguio also edged Emily Eng, 1-up, in the morning match then dominated Saini Skudder, 5&4, in the afternoon to arrange a quarterfinal showdown with world No. 2 and stroke play champion Lydia Ko.

Ikeda, chasing another crown after winning the Philippine Ladies Amateur and the Southern Ladies Open crowns, routed Grace Senior, 7&6, in the first round then fashioned out a 3&2 romp over Kate Chadwik in the last 16 phase.

“After scoring two wins in the day, the girls are excited of their chances. They are in high spirits and oozing with confidence. I just hope they will sustain their form in the quarters,” said ICTSI team coach Bong Lopez.

The Fil-Japanese spearhead of the ICTSI golf squad will play Julianne Alvarez for a berth in the semifinal round of NZ’s premier amateur championship. Alvarez ripped Brianna Maynard, 4&3, then whipped Ceyln Khoo, 7&6, in the second round.

Agojo, who placed third in the stroke play event, battles Caryn Khoo in the lower bracket after the latter beat Jesse Hamilton, 3&2.

Ababa, however, fell by the wayside in the KO stage first round, dropping a close 1-up decision to Laura Hoskin, who went on to defeat Jess Guenzerodt, 1-up, to reach the quarters against second seed Cecilia Cho, who bundled out Imogen Donnelly, 6&5, and Emily Perry, 4&3, in their side of the duel.PR

Guioguio wrests 1-shot lead over Ikeda

Lovelyn Guioguio matched par 72 in tough playing condition and snatched a one-stroke lead over ICTSI spearhead Chihiro Ikeda in the second round of the Thailand Ladies Open at Bangkok Golf Club in Thailand Thursday.
Guioguio blew a two-under card after three holes with a wet double-bogey on No. 9 then banged in a delicate eight-footer for par on No. 18 to save a 36-36 round for a 142, counting her 70 in the first round of the 54-hole tournament.
Flawless with a 67 Wednesday, Ikeda turned in a flawed finish of 7 at the par-4 18th for a four-over 76, blowing an overnight three-shot lead and dropping to second at 143, one stroke behind Guioguio.
Andie Unson and Dottie Ardina also struggled with a 74 and 75, respectively, as they tied for third at 145 with Thai bet Savitree Thavong, who fired the day’s best score of two-under 70.
Jayvie Agojo carded a second straight 74 for a 148 while Daniella Uy also shot a 74 for a 154.
“While Ikeda struggled with her iron play in windy condition, Guioguio played just as steady except for her double-bogey mishap on No. 9,” said ICTSI team coach Bong Lopez, referring to the new leader’s third shot at the par-5 No. 9 which she dumped into the big hazard guarding the green.
Lopez also noted the tough pin placements with the flags hidden either in the corner or behind the bunkers and slopes, ensuring a thrilling finish in Thailand’s premier amateur championship.
The Phl bets, meanwhile swept the team competition with ICTSI/Phl I side of Ikeda, Ardina and Agojo combining for a 149 and a 286 for a two-shot victory over ICTSI/Phl 2 team of Guioguio, Unson and Uy, which had a 289 after a 146.PR

Wang coasts to 4-shot win; Guioguio prevails

One year after he blew it via disqualification, Wang Jeung Hun captured the WWWExpress-DHL National Golf Championships crown in emphatic fashion, winning by four shots over Clyde Mondilla with a six-under 66 at Cangolf’s north course, Friday.
Wang closed out the way he started the 72-hole event – on a bogey-free stint – underscoring his top form and seriousness to win the crown he lost to Jhonnel Ababa last year due to infraction.
This time, he played a near-flawless game all week, making just three bogeys over four days when all the others kept on dropping shots on a course that played a little bit friendly in the absence of the wind.
He wound up with an impressive 18-under 270 total, from a pair of 66s and 69s, completing his mastery of the field and the layout where he also reigned as the Canlubang Am Open champion late last year.
Mondilla also shot a 66, a solid round he spiked with an eagle on the par-5 14th. Four shots behind Wang at the start of the final round, the reigning national champion dropped a shot farther back at the turn but strung up three straight birdies from No. 10 to move within two.
But Wang hung on while Mondilla failed to sustain his fightback and bogeyed No. 13. He closed to within two again after that eagle on the next hole which Wang birdied, but the Filipino challenger stumbled with another bogey on the par-3 15th to fall behind by three again.
Wang then birdied the next two to pull away for good with Mondilla holing out with a birdie for his own version of a 66 and a 274.
Lovelynn Guioguio bogeyed the last two holes for a 73 but still pulled off a two-stroke victory over Andie Unson in the ladies side of the tournament sponsored by WWWExpress and DHL headed by chair Rod V. Feliciano and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Phils.
Guioguio assembled a 216 over 54 holes, holding off ICTSI teammate Unson, who fell short of her bid to add the title to her The Country Club low amateur plum two weeks ago. Unson shot a 71 and finished with a 218.
Chihiro Ikeda, winner of the last three editions of the event hosted by Cangolf, failed to get her game going and struggled to finish third at 219 after a 75.
Sarah Ababa, the erstwhile pursuer, ballooned to a 77 and tumbled down to fourth at 221 while Jayvie Agojo placed fifth with a 222 after a 72.
Reigning national champion Irina Gabasa wound up sixth with a 223 after a 72 followed by Kim Bo Ah, who skied to a 78 and a 226, and Daniela Uy and Dottie Ardina, who both had a 228 after a 75 and 77, respectively.
Meanwhile, the Phl squad of Miguel Tabuena, Jerson Balabas and Jobim Carlos pooled a 214 and won the third RVF Southeast Asian Cup men's team crown with a 420, beating the Wang-led Korea, which had a 422 after a 219 while Singapore placed third with a 436 after a 225.
Jobim Carlos, whom Wang beat to claim the Cangolf Am plum, rallied with a 68 and salvaged third place with a 280 while Zanieboy Gialon matched par 72 and settled for fourth at 282.
Gregory Foo shot a 69 to snatch fifth place at 285 while Dino Villanueva and Jerson Balasabas finished tied for sixth at 286 after a pair of 71s.
Dante Becierra and Carl Ocampo of the ICTSI-The Country Club shared eighth place at 288 after a 71 and 76, respectively, while Miguel Tabuena, the Asian Games silver medalist, carded a 75 and wound up tied for 10th with Keane Jahns, who had a 73, at 289.(pr)

Wang keeps 4-shot lead; Guioguio up

Wang Jeung Hun fended off Clyde Mondilla's charge and matched the reigning national champion's three-under par 69 card Thursday, keeping his four-shot lead intact for a clear shot at the WWWExpress-DHL National Golf Championships crown at Canlubang's north course.
Like in the previous rounds, Wang played solid golf under ideal condition, setting up birdie chances with superb iron game and then sinking most of them with steady putting that put him way ahead of the field.
He made five birdies, including two at the back that negated his two late bogeys on Nos. 15 and 17, his second 69 giving him a 12-under 204 total and 18 holes away from claiming the crown he lost when he was disqualified in the final round last year.
Mondilla tried to press his bid with back-to-back birdies from No. 4 but reeled back with a bogey on No. 7. He birdied two of the next three holes but failed to get any closer when he flubbed a short birdie putt on No. 17 which Wang, spearhead of a crack Riviera squad, bogeyed.
Worse, Mondilla, playing out of Del Monte, overshot the 18th green and missed another short putt for par, settling for a 69 and a 208.
Zanie Boy Gialon bounced back from a 73 with a 70 but the ICTSI-The Country Club bet, who trailed Wang by just one in the first round, stood too far at 210, six strokes adrift, and would need a low round to at least earn a shot at the crown in the 16th staging of the annual event sponsored by WWWExpress and DHL headed by chair Rod V. Feliciano.
But a three-way battle for the ladies title loomed as Lovelynn Guioguio surged ahead with a 143 after a one-under 71, wresting a one-stroke lead over first round leader Sarah Ababa and a charging three-time defending champion Chihiro Ikeda heading into the final round of the 54-hole tournament hosted by Cangolf.
Meanwhile, the Phl squad of Miguel Tabuena, Jerson Balabas and Jobim Carlos pooled a 214 and won the third RVF Southeast Asian Cup men's team crown with a 420, beating the Wang-led Korea, which had a 422 after a 219 while Singapore placed third with a 436 after a 225.
Guioguio, chasing her first big crown in years, sizzled with four birdies against a bogey at the front but dropped three strokes in the last four holes, including a double-bogey mishap on the par-3 15th, for that 71.
Ababa, who showed up the fancied bets with a 70 in the first round, faltered with two 37s and limped with a 74, dropping to second with a 144, the same output put in by Ikeda, who matched Guioguio's one-under card.
Ikeda, eyeing a fourth straight championship in the event organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Phils., birdied the first two holes on each nine but had three bogeys and settled for a 71.
Andie Unson matched par 72 but stood four strokes off at 147 while Kim Bo Ah had a 148 after a 72 and Kim Hui Mang and Jayvie Agojo at 150 after a 74 and 76, respectively.
Reigning national champion Irina Gabasa and Dottie Ardina hobbled with 76 and 79, respectively, and were too far off at 151.
Carlos also lay way behind in the men's side despite a 69 as he totaled a 212 for joint fourth with Carl Ocampo, who had a 72, while Tabuena fumbled with a 73 for a 214, 10 shots off Wang.(pr)

Guioguio moves within 2 strokes behind leader, Davao's Ikeda cards 73 and Ababa had 75

Over in Taiwan,  Lovelynn Guioguio moved within two strokes off new leader Thidapa Suwannapura as she fired a one-under 71 for a 146, two strokes adrift of the Thai bet in the second round of the Taiwan Amateur Golf Championship at the Sunrise Golf Club in Taoyuan County.

Suwannapura matched par 72 for the second straight time for a 144 as she grabbed a one-stroke lead over Taiwanese Hsuan Yu Yao, who had a 145 after a 72.

Top ICTSI bet Chihiro Ikeda carded a 73 for a 150 while Dottie Ardina rebounded from an earlier 79 with a 72 although she stood seven strokes off the pace with a 151. Sarah Ababa had a 155 after a 75 while Jayvie Agojo, who had a decent 75 in the first day, ballooned to an 84 for a 159.

In men’s play, Peter Villaber lay nine strokes behind Chien Yao Hung with a 72 and a 146 as the Taiwanese sustained his form and shot a 68 for a 135 and a five-shot lead over Japan’s Satoshi Kodiara, who had a 70 for a 140.

Sonny Villaber had a 74 or a 150 while Zanie Gialon made a 75 for a 152.(pr)