Agojo blows title drive in playoff

MANILA, Philippines - Jayvie Agojo battled from two strokes down to grab a three-stroke lead with a superb start but faltered at the back and lost to local bet Zhang Yu Yang in their sudden death for the China Amateur Open crown at the Nanhai Peach Garden East-West Course in China Saturday.

Agojo closed out with a one-under 71 to fall into a playoff with Zhang, who had a 73, at 217. But the former Philippine Ladies Open champion missed a 20-foot birdie putt in sudden death while the Chinese made it from 16 feet to clinch the title.

It was a sorry setback for Agojo, who eagled the par-4 No. 3 and birdied the next two holes to seize a three-shot lead over Zhang and Suh Hyun Oh of Australia.

But she dropped two strokes on Nos. 10 and 11 and missed an eight-footer for bogey on the 16th, enabling Zhang to tie the Filipina bet with a par. Agojo, a flight ahead of Suh and Zhang, rolled in a tough 12-foot par putt on the 17th to hang on but flubbed a six-footer for birdie on the 54th hole and missed the crown outright.

Suh double-bogeyed No. 16 and dropped out of contention but Zhang made a routine par on the 18th to force a playoff.

Dottie Ardina carded a two-over 74 and finished in eighth with a 224 while another ICTSI bet Lovelynn Guioguio placed ninth with a 225 after a 75.