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SAN
DIEGO, California—Dottie Ardina, Miggy Yee and Bernice
Olivares-Ilas seized the lead in their respective
divisions going into the final round Wednesday (Thursday
in Manila) of the Callaway Junior World golf
championships in various courses here.
Yee, a
chubby 11-year-old with a man-sized game, fired a
three-under 69 to jump ahead by two strokes in the boys’
11-12 years at the San Marcos course with a 139
aggregate through 36 holes.
Using
his awesome length off the tee, Yee birdied all six
par-fives of the course en route to wresting the top
spot over Thai Korntawach Julamool by two and
first-round leader Viraat Badwhari of India and
Indonesia’s Jordan Surya Irawan by three.
Julamool finished
birdie-birdie for his own 69, Jordan also had a 69,
while Viraat struggled with a 74.
The RP
contingent, sponsored by Philippine Airlines, Samsung,
Diamond Motors, Inc. and ICTSI with Crestlink as
official outfitter, was poised for a second triple-title
explosion in three years as Ardina grabbed the solo lead
in girls’ 13-14 years and Olivarez-Ilas emerged the new
front-runner in girls’ six-under.
In 2006
Ardina won the 11-12 event, the absent Cyna Rodriguez
topped the 13-14 age group and Mia Legaspi took the 7-8
category for the country’s first triple-title feat.
Ardina
can help make it happen again with Yee and Olivarez-Ilas
as she starts the day leading Ching by just one with a
141 total after scoring a 71. Ching, coleader with
Ardina in the first round, matched par 72 for 142.
“I will
try my best. It’s something I want to win,” said Ardina,
whose round includes six birdies, three bogeys and a
double-bogey.
Bernice, meanwhile, totes a one-stroke lead over
Malaysian Natasha Andrea Oon at the pitch-and-putt
Colina Park. Bernice and Oon both shot 57s and occupied
the top two positions at 117 and 118, respectively, with
erstwhile leader Karah Sanford of California (65)
sliding to third at 121.
In the
other divisions, Rupert Saragoza III jumped to a share
of seventh in boys’ 9-10 by carding a 62-125 just five
shots off the lead. Daniella Uy, third in the girls’
11-12 also at Lake San Marcos, fell to joint 10th with a
78-151, now seven behind the two leaders.
The
others, however, all took themselves out of contention
with 14 of the 41 RP bets failing to make the cut.
In the
centerpiece boys’ 15-17 class at Torrey Pines south,
Marcel Puyat rallied with 75 to be the best among the
Filipinos with 152 and a tie for 27th. John Kier Abdon
had 79-153, Jobim Carlos 79-159 and Marvin Mendoza
77-162.
Former
national player Regina de Guzman carded a 73-150 for
joint 14th on the girls side at Carlton Oaks, seven
shots behind leader Danielle Frazier (74-143). RP open
titlist Chihiro Ikeda carded 77-152, Sunshine Baraquiel
75-153 and Lou Isabelle Manalo 87-165.
Lou
Daniella Uy, running third in the girls’ 11-12 a day
earlier, staggered to a 78 but made the cut; Saragoza
was only five off the pace in the 9-10 class following a
62 and 125, while former champ Mia Legaspi bounced back
with a 59-124 and was in 16th place. |
