Gialon fires record 66; Ardina leads with 68

MANILA, Philippines - Zanie Boy Gialon set a new course record of six-under 66 at Summit Point as he seized a whopping six-stroke lead over Rupert Zaragosa and Alex Nallos while Dottie Ardina showed fine form and fired a four-under 68 to pace the ladies side of the Samsung Amateur Open in Lipa, Batangas yesterday.

Gialon sizzled with seven birdies against a lone bogey, including four in a flawless stint at the backside of the rolling layout as he dominated the Championship Division on a hot, humid day and shattered the previous best of 69 by Omar Dungca during the 2008 Summit Invitational.

More importantly, it gave the top ICTSI-The Country Club bet a big cushion over the fancied Zaragosa as they head to the final 18 holes of the annual event presented by Samsung Phils. which also features the cream of the ladies crop and future stars.

Zaragosa, the reigning juniors and national champion from ICTSI-Cangolf team, mixed three birdies with the same number of bogeys and settled for a 72 in a tie with Nallos, who made five birdies but fumbled with five bogeys, while Banny Abaño of Del Monte carded a 73 in a tie with Koreans Hwang Kang Youl and Kim Chang Yeon from Riviera.

Art Arbole, winner of last week’s Cangolf Am Open, wavered with two 37s and dropped into a tie with five others in seventh place while Magno Arancon, also of Del Monte, and J. Austria shot 75s and Reymon Jaraula skied to an 80.

Ardina, enjoying top form, hit five birdies, including three at the front and back-to-back from No. 13 as she overcame a missed-green bogey on No. 8 for a 69, moving 18 holes away from annexing her third straight crown after ruling the Malaysian Juniors and the Thailand Amateur Open the last three weeks.

She led ICTSI teammate Chihiro Ikeda by two with the latter fighting back from a double-bogey mishap on No. 6 with birdies on Nos. 3, 9, 14 and 16 for a 70. Lovelynn Guioguio made a 71 while Sarah Ababa matched par 72.

Ardina and Ikeda, along with alternate Jayvie Agojo, are using the event as part of their buildup for next month’s SEA Games in Jakarta where the ICTSI-backed Philippine team is the defending champion and Ikeda the reigning individual titlist.

Miya Legaspi, the 11-year-old wonder, turned in a three-over 75 marked by two birdies as the five-time US Kids Golf champion tied for fifth with Sunshine Baraquiel, Chanelle Avaricio and Daniella Uy.

Meanwhile, A. Alegre and H. Ahn carded identical 75s to lead Class A of the event sponsored by Airphil Express, Mizuno, Custom Clubmakers, Footjoy and Titliest by Empire Golf, Loro, Endress+Hauser, Sweet Photolicious, Torch Resto Bar, Bluemansion Enterprise, GlucosCare, Omnisource International, Business Mirror and Inquirer Golf.

J. Seo made a 73 and posted a four-stroke lead over Dae Kim in Class B while T. Ilagan shot an 86 for a one-shot lead over V. Plata in Class C. G. Aguado took the Class D lead with an 89 while G. Villacencio and D. Salvador paced the ladies Classes B and C with 79 and 98, respectively.