GREGORY FOO of Singapore flubbed a six-shot lead but held on for the victory over Jobim Carlos and Clyde Mondilla to capture the Philippine Amateur Open golf crown despite firing in a closing seven-over 79 at Cangolf’s north course yesterday.
Foo, who looked headed for a runaway win after storming ahead by six after 54 holes, found the going tough early as rains pounded the par-72 layout, sending the Singapore ace tumbling down with a 40 at the turn and the title race into a three-man affair.
But Mondilla, who tied Foo despite a bogey at the par-3 No. 11, blew his bid with a triple-bogey on No. 13 while Carlos, who moved within two with nine holes to play, reeled back with back-to-back bogeys from No. 12 and flubbed two birdie putts in the last three holes.
In contrast, Foo rebounded from a disastrous double-bogey mishap on No. 11 and a bogey on No. 14 with clutch par putts in the last four holes, netting him the crown with a 287 aggregate.
Carlos and Mondilla pounced on Foo’s shaky start to revive the local bets’ bid with the former, winner of the NGAP National Doubles crown last week, turning in a gutsy 36 and the latter hitting birdies on Nos. 7 and 8 for a 35. But the duo sputtered in the end with Carlos, who birdied the par-5 17th, flubbing two makeable birdie putts on Nos. 16 and 18, for a 75 and a 289.
Mondilla sparked hopes of a big finish when he caught up with Foo after No. 11. But the former national champion dropped a stroke on the next and failed to check his skid with a triple-bogey seven on No. 13. He closed out with a 76 for third at 290. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio