Jobim, Pauline pull off decisive wins in Cangolf

MANILA, Philippines - Jobim Carlos and Pauline del Rosario put in a pair of explosive finishes to turn what had seemed to be down-to-the-wire battles into runaway triumphs as they dominated their respective sides in the Canlubang Amateur Open at Cangolf’s South course in Laguna yesterday.

Pressed by Jelbert Gamolo at the front, Carlos broke away with a cluster of birdies in the last nine holes, hitting four for a 32 that spiked the club bet’s bogey-free six-under 66 for a whopping seven-stroke romp on an impressive 54-hole total of 11-under 205 in the centerpiece Open division.

Del Monte’s Gamolo, who stayed within two strokes off Carlos with a 35 start, failed to match the University of San Francisco standout’s fiery windup, settling for a birdie against two bogeys and finishing with a 72 and 217 in this 15th staging of the event hosted and conducted by Cangolf.

The oturnament is sponsored by NGAP, MVP Sports Foundation, PLDT Group and National Amateur Golf Tour.

Del Rosario matched Carlos’ feat in the ladies side, stunning fancied The Country Club teammate Princess Superal with a blistering finish of three birdies with an eagle to boot in the last eight holes for an eight-under 64 and a 132, 14-under. She beat Fil-Japanese and national team mainstay Yuka Saso, who had a 66 and a 135, by three.

Superal, who shared the first round lead with Del Rosario at 68 Thursday, actually grabbed a one-stroke edge with a solid 32 start but slowed down with a one-birdie, one-bogey finish in the last nine holes and tumbled to third with a 68 and a 136.

In contrast, Del Rosario, who birdied the first three holes and bogeyed the fourth, blitzed the last eight holes with birdies on Nos. 11, 13 and 16 before holing out with a 3 on the par-5 18th.

Saso, just a shot off Del Rosario and Superal at the start of the final round, kept the duo in sight with a 34 but like Superal, the Southwoods bet’s backside rally of 32 and a 66 fizzled out in the face of Del Rosario’s sizzling windup.

Sam Martirez, also of Team TCC, shot a 71 to finish fourth in the 36-hole tournament with a 140 while teammate Mika Fortuna rebounded from a poor 75 start with a tournament-best 30 at the front but lost steam and closed out with a 36 for a 66 and solo fifth at 141.

Southwoods’ Ira Alido limped with a 75 but still wound up third in men’s play with a 217 while Japanese Yuto Katzuragawa, also of Southwoods, rallied with a 71 to salvage fourth at 218.

Jungolfer Luis Castro hobbled with a 74 and placed fifth at 219 followed by Riviera’s Tom Kim, who had a 225 after a 70, Gido Mandanas of Luisita, who carded a 73 for a 226 while back-to-back defending champion Park Min Ung of Riviera finally broke par with a 71 and ended eighth at 221.