Zaragosa, Park trounce rivals, arrange title duel

MANILA, Philippines - Rupert Zaragosa and Korean Park Min-ung whisked off their respective rivals in varying fashions yesterday to arrange a showdown for the Philippine Amateur Match Play Championship crown at the Orchard’s Palmer course in Dasmariñas, Cavite.

Zaragosa, 16, repulsed reigning Junior Amateur champion Gen Nagai, 2&1, while Park, who won the junior crown two years ago, dominated Korean Kim Tae-woo, 7&6, to advance to the finals of the event presented by the MVP Sports Foundation and backed by Pancake House, Golf Depot and Pacsports as part of the PLDT Group Amateur Tour.

Daniela Uy and Yuka Saso, a Filipino-Japanese, sealed a title duel in women’s play also after scoring two victories.

Uy took out Chanelle Avaricio, 4&2, while Saso, a member of the crack ICTSI golf squad, beat reigning junior am titlist Bianca Pagdanganan, 4&3.

The pint-sized Zaragosa first won in 2011 at Canlubang against John Kier Abdon, now a pro, before nipping Nagai again last year. He will take on the 14-year-old Park, who dished out impressive form to gain a crack at the championship.

Park first manhandled the seasoned King Stehmeier, an Orchard member, 7&6, before returning in the afternoon to rip Kim, a 2&1 winner over former pro Eddie Bagtas.

“It will be an interesting match because Park is so good,” Zaragosa said. “But I will just enjoy the chance to play for another national title again. Though it is match play, I will still be up against myself, basically.”

Nagai, who scored a hard-earned 1-up victory over the comebacking Antonio Asistio in the quarterfinals, fell behind early, 3-down, after the first nine holes and won just one hole the entire match, the 14th with a birdie, before Zaragosa wrapped it all up with a matching par on the 17th.