Koreans show way in Cangolf Am Open

KIM IN-JAE of Eagle Ridge sizzled on the back nine to fire a 3-under-par 69 in the rain and post a three-stroke lead over fellow Korean Park Gyu-ha of Riviera at the start of the Canlubang Amateur Open at Cangolf’s north course in Laguna yesterday.

Kim came upwith a birdie-birdie start at the back then knocked down another birdie on the par-5 14th for the lone under-par card in a tough day at the par-72 layout.

Park birdied two of the last five holes to salvage a 72 while Jordan Mamaril blew an impressive 35 start with a shaky finish, bogeying the last two holes for a 73.

Rupert Zaragosa, one of the fancied bets in the 54-hole event serving as part of Globe Business Amateur Golf Circuit, was even par after 12 holes but sputtered with two bogeys in the last three holes for a 74 and solo fourth.

Another Cangolf bet, Joey Huerva, carded a 75 for joint fifth with Korean Yoon Sunghwang of Southwoods.

Ayala Greenfield’s Norman dela Pena rallied with a 37 for a 77, the same output by Cangolf’s Nicholas Santiano and Gabriel Manotoc and Agustin Mata.

Micah Shin, the Korean find from Apo who teamed up with Ramil Bisera to win the Davao National Pro-Am recently, never recovered from a poor start, dropping three strokes in the last three holes for a 79 like Kim Sunwoong and Lawrence Celestino of Eagle Ridge, 10 shots off the pace with two rounds left in the annual event sanctioned by the National Golf Association of the Philippines and backed by Pancake House and Cangolf.

Meanwhile, ICTSI-The Country Club teammates Jayvie Agojo and Cyna Rodriguez size each other up today as they begin their chase for the women’s crown of the 36-hole championship.

Agojo, the reigning Santi Cup individual champion, and Rodriguez, who nipped Agojo in the playoff to capture the Hong Kong Amateur Open crown last month, will start on No. 10 at 7 a.m. at the North course with Ayala Greenfield mainstay Mia Legaspi.