Wang, Fernando, Ardina advance to RP Am finals

MANILA, Philippines – Riviera’s Jeung Hun Wang came through with a pair of surprisingly easy victories in the rain to arrange a championship showdown with Calatagan’s Mark Fernando while Dottie Ardina sealed a title clash with Crystal Superal in the ladies side of the Philippine Amateur Golf Championships presented by Samsung at the Eastridge Golf Club in Binangonan, Rizal yesterday.

Wang kept the momentum of his stunning 4&3 upset win over low medalist Jhonnel Ababa in the quarterfinals then subdued Alabang’s King Stehmeier, 5&4, in the semis to move a win away from becoming the first Korean to win the national crown.

Fernando also posted a 5&4 victory over local bet Dino Villanueva in their own side of the semis clash, barely hours after he disposed of Miko Alejandro, 4&3, in the late morning quarterfinal clash.

Wang and Fernando actually scored three wins in the day with the former booting out youthful Miguel Tabuena, 3&1, at resumption of the rain-halted Last 16 stage in the early morning match and the latter outlasting former Hong Kong Am champion Dante Becierra, 2&1, in the lower half the quarterfinal draw.

Ardina, meanwhile, outclassed ICTSI teammate Chihiro Ikeda, 3&2, in their semis encounter to arrange a showdown with Superal, who repulsed low medalist and Orchard teammate Andrea Unson, 2&1, for the ladies crown in the event sponsored by Samsung and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Phils. and Professional Sports Management Group.

The 15-year-old Ardina, making the most of her vacation from a golf scholarship from ICTSI, earlier trounced reigning RP Ladies Open champion Louise Manalo, 5&4, and kept that momentum to outplay the 17-year-old Ikeda, who edged Sabah Am champion Ainil Johani of Malaysia, 1-up, in the quarters.

Superal nipped Beverly Mendoza then posted a 2-up lead over Unson after 12 holes in the semis before hanging tough to nip the top seeded bet and set up a duel with perhaps the most fancied player in the fold.

In seniors play, Cangolf’s Rolly Viray upset top seed OV Espiritu of Manila Golf, 3&1, to arrange a title playoff with Manila Golf’s Richie Garcia, who beat Teodoro Runes, 5&4.

Wang and Fernando, and Ardina and Superal dispute the crowns in a pair of marathon 36-hole duels today (Sunday) while Viray and Garcia will slug it out over 18 holes.

Focus will be on Wang, unfancied until he finished ninth in the 36-hole stroke play qualifier of the event backed by Thunderbird Resorts, Wow Magic Sing, Mizuno, A Round of Golf, the Philippine Sports Commision, Inquirer Golf Monthly and hole-in-one sponsors Club Car, International Armoring Inc., Custom Clubmaker, Crestlink, ABW, Gargol and CranUTI.

But the soft-spoken Fernando, who gained the No. seeding, remains the slight favorite, owing to his form and confidence he displayed in outfoxing Becierra and outclassing Alejandro and outplaying local bet Villanueva.

Ardina, out to improve on runner-up finish to Carmelette Villaroman in the 2006 edition of the event at The Country Club, is also tipped to get past Superal but the latter remains upbeat of her chances, her confidence boosted by her big victory over the top seed Unson.