Koreans cop Eagle Ridge pro-am crown

MANILA, Philippines – Koreans Lyu Hyung-suk and partner Jang Yu-bin bucked the tough pin placements and combined for a gutsy even par 72 to edge Jun Bernis and Gab Manotoc by two and capture the Eagle Ridge pro-am golf crown at the Aoki course in Gen. Trias, Cavite recently.

Lyu, a teaching pro, and Jang, an Eagle Ridge member, played cautiously all throughout the alternate format event, gunning down two birdies to offset their two-bogey mishap while settling for pars the rest of the way to humble a slew of Filipino pros and amateurs and rule the inaugural staging of the 18-hole event. Lyu pocketed the top P25,000 prize while Jang took home a crystal trophy put up by the host club.

Bernis and Manotoc turned in a two-over 74 and finished tied for second with another Korean pair of Jang Hyo-min and Jang Jun-ha. But the local tandem nipped the Koreans in the countback (last six holes, 25-26) and took the runner-up honors. Roger Diocares and Ricky delos Santos ssembled a 75 for fourth.

Rico Depilo-Lee Tong-hwa, Artemio Murakami-JR Salahog and Jang Yeong-Cheul-Jeon Jeong-hyun tandems wound up with identical 76s.

The P100,000 tourney was sponsored by WG Golf, LK Golf Management, VAST Agro Solution, Cross-Link Electric, Sta. Lucia Land, Sta. Lucia Golf Tour, STD General Contractors and Hosea Aircon Services.