Kim, Harmie cruise to RVF Cup romps

CANLUBANG – Tom Kim and Harmie Constantino took different routes but produced the same results – a pair of lopsided victories in the W Express RVF Cup Amateur Open Golf Championship at Cangolf’s North course here yesterday. While Kim needed to check a frontside meltdown with a fiery windup to card a 73 and claim a four-stroke victory over Aniceto Mandanas, Constantino banked on a solid start to cushion the impact of a faltering finish and retain the women’s crown by six with a closing 72.

Kim, who stormed to a six-shot lead with a 69 Thursday, hobbled with a 41 marred by a horrible 11 on the par-5 No. 9 that enabled Mandanas to pull within one with a 36. But the Korean regained his bearing and closed out with a four-under 32 spiked by an eagle on No. 14.

Kim, who also ruled the Philippine Amateur Championship at Riviera last month, finished with an 11-under 277, four shots better than Mandanas, who failed to match the young Korean’s scorching finish and settled for a 35 for a 71 and a 281 for second in the 23rd staging of the annual event held in honor of the late golf patron and former NGAP president Rod Feliciano and sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation.

Constantino, on the other hand, banked on a solid start of 34 to cushion the impact of her faltering 38 finish, keeping the women’s tiara with a 286 aggregate for a six-shot romp over Bernice Ilas.

The first day co-leader failed to recover from a frontside 37 and likewise ended up with a 72 for a 292 with The Country Club teammate Mikha Fortuna also matching par for third at 298.

Sofia Chabon limped with a pair of 38s, her 76 dropping her to fourth at 299 while Chaeree Lim carded a 73 and tied Nicole Abelar, who skied to a 77, at fifth at 300.