Quintanilla rules Singapore Am Open

MANILA, Philippines — Grace Pauline Quintanilla blew a six-shot overnight lead in regulation and needed five extra holes to turn back Hong Kong-China’s Xizihan Wang to win the women’s individual title in the prestigious 78th Singapore Amateur Open championship at the Bukit course yesterday.

The 19-year-old Filipino birdied her sixth trip to the par-5 18th coming from a disadvantageous position playing her third shot, draining a 15-foot putt to finally seal the win which came the hard way after she closed out regulation with a two-over-par 73 that allowed the Chinese to tie at 281.

Wang shot a 67– tying Quintanilla’s first round effort for the low round of the week – and clearly had momentum going into sudden death, only for the Filipina to strike when she found the opening.

Meanwhile, Rolando Bregente and Jet Hernandez settled for a fourth place tie in the men’s division after closing 69s gave them 272 totals, five shots off champion Jonty Lunzon of Australia, who fired a 67 to beat countryman Harrison Gomez by a shot.