Nagai pulls away, Crystal sizzles in The Challenge
DEFENDING champion Gen Nagai fired a one-over-par 71 yesterday to soar to a nine-stroke lead in the boys’ class A division after the second round of the Alta Vista Golf and Country Club Challenge Junior Golf Tournament in Pardo, Cebu City.
In the girls’ division Alta Vista’s Gabee Crystal surged to the top with a strong performance.
Nagai of Cebu Country Club had an aggregate of 144 in the 15 to 17 years old bracket to pull ahead of Jonas Magcalayo of The Junior Golf League (TJGL) and Alta Vista’s Wei-wei Gao who had identical aggregates of 153 strokes. Magcalayo fired rounds of 77 and 76.
Gao, who is still 14 but opted to play in the older division, was only a stroke behind Nagai after the first day, but struggled with a nine-over-par 79 yesterday.
Del Monte’s JJ Gamolo is at fourth spot with 157 on rounds of 83 and 74 while Alta Vista’s Anton Pastoriza rounds up the top five with a total of 159 strokes (82-77).
4-storke lead for Crystal
In the girls’ division, Gabee Crystal took a four-stroke lead after shooting a five-over-par 75 for an aggregate of 163 strokes after a first round 88.
Tied for second are Cebu Country Club’s Alyeska Yunam and Del Monte’s Pamela Mariano with 167 strokes. Yunam fired rounds of 86 and 81 while Mariano, who was tied for the lead after the first round, made 84 and 83.
Ericka Lim of Alta Vista, who was one of the co-leaders after round 1, fired another 84 yesterday for a total of 168 strokes. Kylah Crystal, Gabee’s twin sister, rounds up the top five with 171 strokes on rounds of 88 and 83.
Del Monte’s Jets Sajulga continue to lead the boys class B (13-14 years old) with 146 strokes (75-71) followed by Russell Bautista of Mactan with 169 strokes (87-82) and Cebu Country Club’s Tyler Po with 173 strokes (85-88).
In girls’ class B, Lois Kaye Go of Cebu Country Club posted a 13-stroke lead after yesterday’s 72 for a two-day total of 147 while Rainstar Roque of Del Monte trails with 160 strokes (80-80).
In the special division (18 to 21 years old), John Catalan of TJGL seized the lead with 164 strokes on rounds of 84 and 80.
Erstwhile leader Ronel Sarigumba of Mactan is four-strokes back with 168 (81-87) and at third is Luigi Coloyan of Mactan with 169 (87-82).
At the start of class C (11-12) action, Alta Vista’s Wei-yu Gao fired 75 strokes (36-39) to lead followed by Jolo Magcalayo and Ira Alido of TJGL with identical 78s.
In the girls’ division, Junia Gabasa of Alta Vista leads with a 78, seven strokes ahead of Mactan’s Angela Mangana and Del Monte’s Martina Miñoza (85).
Rolando Bregente of Del Monte and Sean Granada of TJGL share the lead in boys’ class D (9-10), with 83 strokes each. Cebu Country Club’s Joaquin Velez is at third after a 93.
women’s division
In the distaff side, Wei-fang Gao of Alta Vista leads after an 82 followed by Samantha Marie Dizon of TJGL (87) and CCC’s Jordan Paige Ouano (92).
Mactan’s Raymond Tampus paces the boys class E (6-8) with a 44 followed by Zeus Sara of Apo Golf of Davao (48) and Ren Moromasa of CCC (58) after the first nine holes.
In the girls’ class, TJGL’s Theresa de la Paz leads with 56 strokes. Szujara Sumalpong of Del Monte trails with a 61. /PR with correspondent lou coloyan
