Tolentino wavers with 77 but keeps four-shot edge

TRECE Martirez, Cavite , Philippines   â€“ Raymart Tolentino churned out another respectable round on another demanding day yesterday, shooting a five-under-par 77 to stay four strokes ahead and move within 18 holes of winning the Philippine Junior Amateur Championship at Sherwood Hills.

The 16-year-old veteran of many international junior tournaments had two double bogeys, three bogeys against just two birdies but clung on precariously to the pace, leading Japan’s Gen Nagai, to move on the threshold of the biggest victory of his young career with a 225 total.

“I’m just tired. The heat is taking a lot out of the players,” said Tolentino, whose last tournament win came when he topped the Qualifying tournament for the World Junior Championship for the Philippines’ 13-14 division at Southwoods.

“I still have to play my game tomorrow. Four strokes is not a safe lead by any means,” added the product of the Aguinaldo program being bankrolled by businessman Rolly Romero.

Nagai had three birdies against the same number of bogeys to fire the tournament’s best round of level 72, zooming into second place at 229, with Diego San Pedro shooting a 77 to be another stroke back in the event presented by the MVP Sports Foundation as part of the PLDT Group Amateur Tour.

A mainstay of the Cebu Country Club teams that won the PAL Interclub in 2012 and 2013, Nagai has shown steady improvement. He opened up with an 80 and shot a second round 77 on Wednesday.

Gabriel Manotoc shot a 76 and caught defending champion Park Min-ung of South Korea at 231, still with a mathematical chance in the final round of the 72-hole championship backed by Pancake House, Golf Depot and Pacsports.

Harmie Constantino, meanwhile, wrested control in girls’ play after firing a 73 for 225, leading Bianca Pangdanganan by two shots and two-round leader Daniela Uy by three.

Pagdanganan assembled a 74, while Uy, who shot 74 and 77 in the first two days, fired another 77 with Felicia Medalla clinging on to fourth spot at 235 after a 79.

Kristopher Arevalo finally found his groove, shooting 73 after a 79 and an 86, but his 238 total left him 13 shots off the pace. He would need nothing short of a miracle to turn this thing in his favor.