Go widens lead over Ng in MVPSF amateur golf tiff

MANILA, Philippines – LJ Go conquered the holes that slowed him down the day before and came through with the day's only under-par score of one-under par 71 to pad his three-shot lead over Singaporean Jerome Ng to seven in the penultimate round of the MVPSF Philippine Amateur Open Golf Championship at the Wack Wack East Course Wednesday.

The 18-year-old Go dropped a stroke on the opening par-4 hole after missing an eight-foot par putt. But just like the day before, Go bounced back strong with birdies on Nos. 5, 12 and 16 that made up for a bogey in between after he three-putted the No. 6, sending the Seton Hall golf scholar way ahead of his closest pursuer at 215.

"I played steady, if not steadier, today because I'm hitting my three to four-feet putts," said Go, who is flying home to Cebu Friday before going back on Jan. 12 to the United States for his studies.

Truly, Go has become more dangerous day after day.

After a conceding two strokes on No. 1 on Day Two, he improved with just bogey and hit a par on a par 4 No. 2 after turning in a bogey the day before in the annual event presented by the MVP Sports Foundation and sanctioned by the National Golf Association of the Phl.

Go's best moment of the round was when he blasted in one a birdie on No. 16 a day after he missed a birdie shot straight from the bunker where his blast hit the pin before sailing out to settle for a par on the exact same hole.

Go thus goes to the fourth and final round trying to nurse a seven-shot lead over Ng, the defending champion, and, if things turn out well, hopes to clinch his first major victory after finishing third in a Seton Hall tournament in October last year and winding up 10th in an ICTSI-sanctioned event at Palos Verdes also last year.

"Hopefully," he said.

The 35-year-old Ng, who is seeking for a rare repeat in the event also backed by Pancake House, Golf Depot and Pacsports as part of the PLDT Group Amateur Tour, blew hot and cold with a 75 that sent him stranded at second with 228.

"I played all right, he (Go) just played better," said Ng, a Putra Cup veteran.

Opening day leader Jobim Carlos continued his slide and imploded with an 82 that sent him crashing back from the solo lead in Day One and third in Day Two to a share of fifth with Singapore's Johnson Poh and countryman Gabriel Atienza, who carded a 78 and an 80, respectively, at 230s.

It also left Go to contend against a slew of Singaporean challenge that included Marc Ong and Andul Hadi, who fired a 75 and a 77, to jump from out of nowhere to a share of third spot at 228s.

Antonio Asistio, the former pro and multi-titled amateur, in contrast, sustained his steady rise as he scored a 74 to jump from outside the top 10 to inside it at a share of eighth with Gen Nagai of Japan and another Filipino Justin Quiban, who had a 74 and an 80, at 231s.

From 49 survivors going into Day Three, only 30 was left standing including Gabriel Manotoc, son of NGAP president Tommy who had an 80.