Asistio, Singaporean seize lead in RP Amateur Golf

CANLUBANG, Philippines - After missing the chance to outshine the cream of the crop the last time out, Antonio Asistio moved within 36 holes to finish the job.

Asistio blitzed home with three birdies at the front to salvage a one-under par 71 and gain a share of the lead with Singapore’s Jerome Ng midway through the WWWExpress-DHL National Amateur Golf Championships at Cangolf’s north course yesterday.

Ferdie Aunzo, the reigning national champion, dropped two strokes on the final hole and hobbled with a 75, yielding the lead to Asistio and Ng, who threatened to spoil the locals’ bid here despite a one-over 73 for a 145.

The smooth-swinging Asistio, who ruled the Cangolf Am here last Oct, minus the likes Aunzo, and RP team mainstays Rufino Bayron and Jessie Balasabas, bucked a pair of bogeys on Nos. 11 and 14 with birdies on Nos. 1, 2 and 9 to seize control with Ng as erstwhile leader Mark Fernando limped home with a 78.

Fernando, impressive with a first round 69, lost his touch and rhythm, spraying the par-72 with wayward shots with the winds not as strong as in the opening day, resulting to a horrendous 10-bogey stint against four birdies. He had only four pars as he tumbled to solo fifth with a 147, two shots behind Asistio.

“I like my chances but this could go down to putting. The greens are just hard to read,” said Asistio, now at the forefront of a charge by the ICTSI-backed bets who include Ferdie Aunzo, JR Tanpinco, Peter Villaber and teeners Jobim Carlos and Art Arbole.

Asistio failed to join Aunzo, Bayron and Balasabas in the World Am team last year despite emerging the best performer in the Putra Cup after a below par performance in the qualifiers. But he picked himself up to beat Joey Huerva by two for the Cangolf Am crown.

Aunzo, two behind Fernando at the start of the round, sputtered with a three-over 75 but remained in second at 146 in a tie with Singapore’s top player Quincy Quek and the comebacking Tanpinco, who turned in 72 and 73, respectively.

Aunzo mixed two birdies with two bogeys at the front but lost a shot on the 11th on a missed-green mishap then closed out with a double-bogey sixth on the 18th, missing the chance to surge ahead.

Tanpinco, in his first tournament after finishing second to Aunzo in last year’s RP Amateurs, had a one-under card after nine holes but fumbled with bogeys on Nos. 12 and 17 and settled for joint second.

Korean Wang Jeong Hun, playing out of Riviera, shot a second straight 74 for a share of sixth with Villaber and the 16-year-old Carlos, who both carded three-over 75s for identical 148s.

The 18-year-old Arbole actually upstaged the talent-laden field with a day’s best two-under 70 as he leapfrogged from joint 41st to a share of ninth with World Am veteran Jessie Balasabas at 149, just four shots adrift.

Balasabas fought back from a first round 76 with a 73 to stay in the mix in the four-day championship sponsored by WWWExpress and DHL.

Chihiro Ikeda, meanwhile, opened her title-retention bid in the ladies side with a 73 as she posted a three-stroke lead over Regina De Guzman, who checked in with a four-over 76.

Korean Jung Hwa Lee made a 77 for third while reigning back-to-back national champion Anya Tanpinco groped for form with a 79 and RP Ladies Open winner Louise Manalo stood a stroke adrift at 80 with two rounds left in the 54-hole tournament conducted by the National Golf Association of the Phils.