Nomura Cuppers stumble to No. 10

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines improved with a 229 but dropped farther back to No. 10 as Singapore made its move and jumped from No. 11 to seventh with a 218 in the third round of the Nomura Cup at the Namseoul Country Club in South Korea yesterday.

Korea remained solid with a two-under 214 for a 639 aggregate as it pulled away from Taiwan with a 13-stroke lead heading into the final round of the biennial event also known as the Asia-Pacific Amateur Golf Team Championship.

Taiwan, just six shots behind Korea at the start of the round, wavered with a 221 for a 652 while Japan stayed in third with a 663 after a 215 followed by China (224-672), Thailand (225-674) and Australia (219-675).

Mhark Fernando carded a 75, Antonio Asistio II turned in a 76 while Peter Villaber counted again for the team with a 78 as Jhonnel Ababa stumbled with a 42 at the front and finished with a birdie-less 79.

With a 687 total, the Philippines slid to 10th in the 21-team event behind Malaysia, which also dropped from sixth to ninth with a 683 after a 231. Pakistan slipped to eighth with a 682 after a 226.

Singapore moved up to No. 7 with a 679 as Choo Tze Huang sizzled with a 69 to anchor the team’s 218 output.

Fernando had two birdies but fumbled with five bogeys, including two in the last four holes while Asistio hardly recovered from a four-bogey mishap from No. 5 and finished with a 39-37.

Villaber made a triple bogey on No. 4 and a double bogey on the ninth but fought his way back with two birdies against four more bogeys to count for the team with two 39s.

Ababa, who shot a 73 in the first round, dropped four strokes in the first three holes and made three more bogeys in the next eight holes for a 42-37 round.