Gandionco outduels Chua, rules by nine

MANILA, Philippines - Gio Gandionco pounced on Malaysian Fezley Ahmad Chua’s early miscues and flashed fine form to close out with a two-under 70 and run away with a whopping nine-stroke triumph over Justin Quiban in the Philippine Amateur Junior (Open) Championship at the Cebu Country Club in Cebu yesterday.

Gandionco kept the momentum of his solid second round 68 with two birdies in the first four holes then watched Chua flounder with two double bogeys at the front for an 81 to turn what had been a close contest into a rout.

The top club bet, who surged ahead by two over Chua Thursday, wound up with a 54-hole haul of four-under 212, beating Quiban by nine for the crown in the inaugural tournament serving as the fourth leg of the Globe-NGAP (National Golf Assocation of the Phils.) circuit.

Quiban birdied two of the last three holes to salvage a 74 and a 221 and snatch runner-up honors from Jama Reyes, who carded a 73 for a 222 while Gen Nagai placed fourth with a 233 after a 77.

Chua, who showed up the local field with a 71 in the opener of the event backed by Pancake House, Titleist and Golf Depot, skied to an 81, making his third double bogey on No. 10 for rounds of 40-41. He finished with a 225.

Lloyd Go stood a shot farther back at 226 after a 78 while Francis Morilla shot a 74 for a 228.

Rupert Zaragoza hardly improved from 78 and 76 with a 74, finished with a 230 for eighth while Basti Sebastian limped with an 83 for a 230 and Andres Saldana and Raymart Tolentino ended up with similar 231s after a 75 and 74, respectively.

Kristoffer Arevalo took the Group 2 (13-years-old-and-below) crown with a 222 after a 76 for an 11-shot romp over Harrison Yu and Jaime Oposa, who had 233s after identical 78s.

Pamela Mariano of Del Monte fought back with a 74 for a 230 as she nipped AFP Club’s Bianca Pagdanganan, who had a 77 and a 231, for the Group I crown in the girls’ division of the event organized and conducted by the NGAP.

Felicia Medalla of Wack Wack placed third with a 234 after a 75.

Lois Go, another CCC bet, also pulled off a come-from-behind win in girls’ Group 2, shooting a 74 for a 229 and snatching a one-stroke victory over erstwhile leader Annika Cedo, who fumbled with a 79 for a 230. Sofia Chabon of Del Monte came in third with a 236 after an 81.