Arbole, Zaragosa falter in Asian Am

MANILA, Philippines - Art Arbole birdied No. 18 for the second straight time and salvaged another even par 72 but dropped to joint 11th, 10 shots off Ben Campbell of New Zealand in the third round of the Asian Amateur Championship at the Singapore Island Country Club course in Singapore yesterday.

Arbole, who slid to joint ninth after a solid opening 68, hit three birdies against two bogeys after 14 holes but reeled back with a double-bogey on No. 16, needing to birdie the closing hole to turn in another 72 for a 54-hole total of four-under 212.

But he fell farther back off Campbell, who also birdied the final hole to shoot a 69 and hold off defending champion Hideki Matsuyama of Japan in their spirited battle for the lead.

Campbell pooled a 14-under 202, frustrating Matsuyama, who rallied in a separate flight with a seven-under 65 to tie the Kiwi ace after 17 holes but missed a six-footer for birdie on the 18th. Still, the Japanese remained on track for a back-to-back title hunt with a 203.

Rupert Zaragosa, 14, who impressed the field with a bogey-free 69 Friday, bombed out with a five-over 77 and tumbled to joint 24th from a share of sixth place with a 216 aggregate.

Clyde Mondilla improved a bit with a 71 for a 217 while Miguel Yee skied to an 80 for a 225.