Koreans sweep Riviera MVPSF championships

SILANG, Cavite – Kim Tae Soo wrested control early then survived a late mishap to salvage a 72 and edge Jet Hernandez by one for the men’s crown while Kim Seo Yun ran away with women’s diadem with a fiery 69 as the South Koreans dominated the Riviera MVPSF Amateur Championship at Riviera’s Langer course here yesterday.

Soo, who rallied from as many as eight strokes down and grabbed the lead just after nine holes in the second round only to yield it with a backside meltdown Saturday, hung tough this time, building a three-shot cushion after 11 holes and bucking a double-bogey miscue on the par-3 17th to clinch the crown.

The Korean’s closing 34-38 card gave him a 54-hole total of 225, a stroke ahead of erstwhile leader Hernandez, who failed to match Soo’s strong start and dropped off the leaderboard with a 37.

Josh Jorge, on the other hand, ran out of holes in his backside charge of 35, finishing with a 74 for third at 227.

Bracing for a final round shootout with Junia Gabasa and Rianne Malixi, who shared five titles in this year’s NGAP calendar of events, Yun pulled away by three with a frontside 36 and completely dominated her rivals with a sizzling 33 for a 69.

She pooled a 215 and beat Gabasa by nine as the Cebuana shotmaker groped for a 76 and a 224. Malixi, who dethroned Yun in the Northern Luzon Regional for her third title this year, also wound up with a five-over 76 for third at 225.

Sharing top honors were Erik Escalona, who captured the Mid-Amateur plum with a gross 143 after a 75, eight strokes ahead of Takuya Kawamura, who shot a 77 for a 151; Demy Saclot, who closed out with 74 to snare the Seniors crown at 156, beating Ju Sung Hwan (84-161) by five; and Shinichi Suzuki, who topped the Special Division (12-and-below) by nipping Santino Pineda in a playoff after both finished with 158 after 78 and 83.