Ng stuns Hernandez; Delariarte, Que advance in RP Amateurs

GEN. TRIAS, Cavite – Fil-Chinese Kheed Nelsen Ng pulled off an upset 1-up victory over third seed Dave Hernandez even as Jerome Delariarte and Angelo Que hurdled their respective opening round rivals in the Philippine amateur golf championship yesterday at the Faldo course of the Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club here.

Ng, a 23-year-old first-timer playing out of Orchard, outplayed his more experienced rival in a down-the-wire duel with a par-birdie finish that set him up for a showdown with the celebrated Juvic Pagunsan.

Pagunsan had an easier time disposing of Bobby Celestino, scoring a 6 and 4 decision in the tourney sponsored by DHL Philippines and Wide Wide World Express with the support of Mitsubishi Motors and the Philippine Sports Commission.

Except for a few minor reversals, the rest of the favorites safely made it to the next round.

Delariarte showed no mercy for Southwoods stablemate Raymund Sangil in a 9 and 7 demolition that was over in two and a half hours.

Que, for his part, was pushed to the limit by Vicente Tuason before pounding out a 3 and 2 win to set up a second round meeting with the dangerous Jun Bernis who bundled out jungolfer Lindon Barril, 4 and 3.

It will be a severe physical test for the remaining survivors today as they will be playing two matches with the Round-of-16 set to be played in the afternoon.

Also among those who won their initial assignments were DHL Open titlist Marlon Dizon, Cookie LaO, former champion Artemio Murakami and jungolfers Judson Eustaquio and Gregory Laguatan.

JR Tanpinco likewise scored a big reversal when he birdied the first hole of a sudden-death playoff with Juami Rocha.

LaO made a crucial birdie on the 16th to secure a 2 up win over Boyet Zaragosa, Dizon defeated Jason Gironella, 3 and 1; Eustaquio scraped past Mark Vijar 1 up while Laguatan ousted Korean Kim Chang Hoi via a 3 and 2 decision.

Murakami and Laguatan will be fighting it out in the Round-of-32 where Delariarte battles Gene Bondoc and Tanpinco squares off with Jun Jun Plana.

Should they progress into the Round of 16, Que, who is trying to pull off only the second three-peat feat in event history, is on collision course with Pagunsan as well as Delariarte and LaO in the other group.

The winning semifinalists will dispute the title via a 36-hole showdown on Saturday at the Dye course.