Fernando annexes Indonesian Amateur crown

MANILA, Philippines - Mark Fernando gunned down crucial pars in his closing holes on Friday to hold off countryman Dante Becierra and Singaporean ace Jerome Ng for the Indonesian Amateur golf championship, his second international win in as many months.

The 28-year-old Fernando, the spearhead of the ICTSI-Canlubang program, closed out with a one-over-par 73 over the 7,206-yard layout to total 289 and turn back Becierra and Ng by a stroke.

Becierra rallied with a day-best 70, while Ng, who will take over the cudgels for Singapore in the Putra Cup later this year after Quincy Qwek turned pro, had a 71 as the duo finished a stroke ahead of Filipinos Jessie Balasabas and Jonel Ababa.

Ababa, the first National Caddies’ Open champion, dropped two shots in his last two holes to drop out of the lead, returning a level 72 in the process for a 291 tally like Balasabas, the second NCO champ who pieced together a 71.

“He has definitely taken over the Philippine amateur landscape,” Tommy Manotoc, the chair of the National Golf Association of the Philippines national team committee, said of Fernando.

It was another brilliant stint for Fernando and the ICTSI bets who are all members of the national pool gunning for berths in Philippine teams that will be assembled for three important international events this year.

Fernando’s triumph comes on the heels of an overpowering performance in the 108th Malaysian Amateur where he defeated a hometown ace to lead a 1-3 Philippine finish.

Fernando actually enjoyed a three-shot lead over Ng and Ababa at the start of the day after rounds of 74, 72 and 70 only to allow his pursuers to gain some ground by struggling on the sleek greens.

Ababa opened up with three straight 73s, while Balasabas returned a 69 on the third to zoom in contention only for both to fall short in the face of Fernando’s steady play.