Ilas fades, trails leader by four in Junior World golf

SAN DIEGO, California – Miguel Olivarez-Ilas bravely fought it out with a Japanese kid only to crumble under a barrage of bogeys on his last five holes, dropping to second place after carding a two-over-par 56 Wednesday (Thursday in Manila) at the Colina Park course in the boys 6 years and under division of the Callaway Junior World Golf Championships in various courses here.

Ilas was still tied for the lead with Ken Shibata of Japan through 12 holes but bogeyed the 13th, 15th, 17th in a sputtering finish at the pitch-and-putt course that left the youngest member of the 44-strong Philippine delegation four strokes behind going into the final round.

Ilas was at 111 counting his opening day effort of 55 while Shibata played solid all day with a two-under 52 to zoom ahead at 107.

Unless Ilas comes up with a magical finish Thursday (Friday in Manila), the Phl team backed by Philippine Airlines, ICTSI, Pancake House and Sizzlin Peper, appears headed for a winless campaign as its top bets in the other age-groups floundered on a day Asian countries like Japan, China and Thailand showed their might.

Former girls 7-8 winner Mia Legaspi was running third in the girls 11-12 bracket but now eight shots behind Xiang Sui of China, Jed Dy was running fourth in the boys 7-8 but six shots off, Bernice Olivarez-Ilas was in sixth place but have to erase a nine-shot deficit and sisters Princess and Eagle Ace Superal slumped to big deficits in their respective divisions.

Japan is off to its strongest showing yet with three of its bets in the lead, Thailand is primed for at least two victories and China is in contention in two divisions.

The 15-17 divisions entries gained a little ground. Irina Gabasa who shot 73-146 for a share of sixth but still seven behind Colombian Lina Aguillon (71-139) while Andie Unsion was in a tie for 10th at 73-147. Dottie Ardina was mired in 32nd after a 75-152 and might just have bungled her bid for victory in her farewell stint.

Though most of the homegrown bets are out of the running in boys play, Rico Hoey – a Filipino migrant in California – scored a 71 and was just two shots off the lead at 143.