Wang-der teen blows field, leads by 9

SILANG, Cavite, Philippines – Korean Wang Jeung Hun threatened to blow away the field with a fiery three-under 68 as he surged to a whopping nine-stroke lead over Jobim Carlos halfway through the Philippine Amateur Open golf championships at the Riviera Golf and Country Club’s Langer course here yesterday.

Three straight birdies from No. 15 spiked Wang’s sizzling round in another tough day at the par-71 layout, giving the talented club bet a two-day aggregate of 142 and a rare chance to become the first foreigner to win the Phl Am crown since Aussie Keith Drago ruled 42 years ago.

But no lead is safe at Langer although Wang can lean on his familiarity with the layout to cushion the impact of his rivals’ expected charge in the last 36 holes of the event conducted by the National Golf Association of the Phils. and presented by Pancake House and SOC Land.

“I don’t know,” said Wang when asked of his chances for what could be his third major local crown.

What he knew was that he turned in a solid round that put him on track of another title after topping the Canlubang Am Open late last year and the WWWExpress-DHL Open, also at Cangolf, early this year.

“I had a better effort today (yesterday),” said Wang, who negated his bogeys on Nos. 2 and 4 with back-to-back birdies from No. 6 before hitting three straight at the back for the day’s lone under-par card.

The 18-year-old Carlos, the low amateur at ICTSI-Royal Northwoods leg and the best individual performer in the Montecillo Cup at Malarayat recently, also birdied the last two holes but he could only come up with a four-over 75 for a 151, while opening day co-leader Joh Kier Abdon skied to a 79 and tumbled down to third with a 153 in a tie with Gio Gandionco, who had an 80, 11 strokes off the pace.

“I’ll try to close in maybe four to five strokes off the pace after the third round because if I couldn’t, I’ll have no chance on the last day,” said Carlos.

“My goal going into this tournament is to just go even par and I know if I could do that, I’ll have a chance,” said Abdon, a former club champion here.

Clyde Mondilla, winner of last year’s match play format at home in Del Monte, virtually yielded the crown with an 87 for a 166 in the tournament backed by Herma Group, Autohub, Great Depot, Callaway and Odyssey Golf.

Two more Koreans, Sung Hwan Yoon and Kang Youl Hwang, made a pair of 79s to share fifth with 157s while Sonny Villaber, Lawrence Celestino and Korean Dae Hyung Cho had 158 each.

Art Arbole and Zanie Boy Gialon, the low amateur at the ICTSI Classic at Malarayat last week, stood at 159.