No end in sight for beleaguered RP golfers

The Philippines failed to draw superb rounds from its ladies team for the third straight day as it settled for a combined three-under par 141 for 16th place Friday with one round left in the 2005 Spirit International Amateur Golf Championships reduced to a two-team affair between England and South Africa.

Marvin Dumandan and Gene Bondoc slowed down with a four-under 68 after a 66 in the second round but hardly moved up as the tandem of Lora Roberto and Anya Tanpinco continued to struggle in the face of classy opposition in the ladies side of this biennial event at the Whispering Pines Golf course in Houston.

After two 74s that stymied Dumandan and Bondoc’s efforts in the first two rounds, Roberto and Tanpinco carded a 73, giving the Philippines a 141 and a 54-hole aggregate of 421 in overall team championship.

That was 19 strokes behind England, which fired a 34 to barely keep a one-stroke lead over a charging South Africa, which shot the day’s best combined scores of 133 for a 403. Defending champion the United States likewise churned out a 134 but fell three strokes off the pace.

After a solid outing Thursday when he spiked his round with an eagle-birdie feat, Dumandan had three birdies but fumbled with six pickups, while Bondoc came up with a three-birdie, one-bogey round marred by seven pickups.

Tanpinco, hoping to join Jayvie Agojo and Frances Bondad in the RP team competing in next month’s Southeast Asian Games, had only one birdie against two bogeys and nine pickups while Roberto made two birdies, three bogeys and had six pickups.

With no end in sight for the RP ladies woes, the Philippines, whose stint is supported by golf patron Enrique Razon through the National Golf Association of the Phils,, could only hope to finish at 15th at best since it is only two strokes behind Taiwan but 10 shots behind the 12th running Netherlands, Chile and Wales, which all had 417s.