Cebu’s LK Go takes lead in PHL Amateur Open
Cebuana Lois Kaye Go blew past Atthaya Thitikul with a solid backside charge, finishing with a one-under 70 and emerging the new leader in as many days after three rounds of the Philippine Amateur Open Golf Championships at Riviera’s Langer course in Silang, Cavite last Jan 5.
Go, 19, recovered from a bogey-bogey mishap from No. 7 with three birdies at the back of the demanding par-71 layout, moving from two down after nine holes to one-up over the Thai ace with a 54-hole aggregate of 215 heading to the final 18 holes of the country’s premier championship.
Thai Vanchai Luangnitikul, meanwhile, grabbed the lead in the men’s side despite a 75 for a 226 as two-day leader Jang Sung Hun of Korea was disqualified for violation of Rules 1.2.
That also threw the battle for the men’s crown wide open as Singapore’s Lucius Toh and Gen Nagai assembled identical 227s after a 73 and 74, respectively, and Weiwei Gao stood just three strokes behind at 229 despite a 78. Nagai is from Cebu Country Club while Gao is from Alta Vista Golf and Country Club.
Aidric Chan also moved within four at 230 after a second 78 while Ivan Monsalve skied to an 82 for a 281 and Paolo Wong and Japanese Atsushi Ueda carded identical 81s for 232s, six shots off the pace in the event organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.
“I have a pretty solid game at the back. Unlike in the first round where I missed a lot of putts, my putting worked well this time,” said Go, who birdied the first two holes at the back to draw level with Thitikul then went 2-up on another two-shot swing on No. 16.
Thitikul, who surged past the Pinay duo of Go and Bianca Pagdanganan despite a 75 Friday, hiked her lead to two with a 36 start but failed to match Go’s blistering finish in windy conditions, needing to birdie the last hole to salvage a 72 and keep the new leader within sight at 216.
Pagdanganan, who took charge in the opener with a 67 but faltered with a 78 in the second round, slipped farther back with a 38 but hit two birdies against a bogey in the last nine holes to save a 73 and stay in the hunt at 218.
Back in women’s play, the rest stood too far behind with Malaysian Natasha Oon pooling a 225 after a 73 for joint fourth with Junia Gabasa. /