Constantino, Chan emerge match play top seeds

Aidric Chan and Harmie Constantino used a pair of sizzling starts to dominate their respective sides and gain the top seeding in the Philippine Amateur Open Match Play Golf Championships at the Orchard’s Players course in Dasmariñas, Cavite yesterday.

Chan, last year’s NGAP Northern Luzon regional winner, rammed in four birdies against two bogeys at the front and jumped from joint seventh to the top of the heap at 149 despite a 72 at the close of the 36-hole stroke play elims of the country’s premier amateur championship sponsored by MVP Sports Foundation.

Josh Jorge struggled and limped with an 80 after a lead-grabbing 73 in the first round, settling for No. 4 instead at 153 with Carl Corpus wresting the second spot at 152 despite a 77 and defending champion Peter Tyler Po taking No. 3 after a 78 and a 153 in the tournament held as part of the PLDT Group National Amateur Golf Tour.

Aniceto Mandanas also skied to a 78 for a 154 for fifth while Sean Ramos and Francis Lanuza also turned in a pair of six over cards to take the next two spots at 156 and 159, respectively, with Kristoffer Arevalo (82-160) and Luigi Guerrero and Don Padilla finishing tied at 161 after an 84 and 86, respectively.

Constantino also banked on an early birdie-binge to pull away from the rest in women’s play, her tournament-best two-under 70 netting the incoming University of Georgia freshman the top seeding at 144 in the knockout phase of the event, organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines, starting today.

“I played well but I was a little intense and played without hesitation since I really wanted to clinch the top seeding,” said the 16-year-old Villamor ace who birdied three of the first four holes then holed out with another birdie to close out her solid frontside stint.