Cebuano golfer Lloyd Jefferson Go saw his star rise even higher as he ended three years of foreign dominance in the Philippine Amateur Open Golf Championship by winning the coveted crown yesterday in runaway fashion at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club in Mandaluyong City.
And though the ace golfer from the Cebu Country Club ended the final round on a sour note by making bogeys in the final four holes, he still managed to do enough as he won by an incredible 11 strokes over the Jobim Carlos.
Go, an 18-year old freshman student of Seton Hall in New Jersey who helped CCC to their second straight title in the PAL Interclub, finished the four-day competition with a four-over 76 and an aggregate score of 291.
The win was a prized one for Go, who before this, did not really think he had won anything big in his young golf career.
“I’m really still in shock, to tell you the truth,” Go said. “It still hasn’t sunk in yet but definitely, I’m very proud of this achievement.”
Previously, this tournament was won by Gregory Foo in 2012 and Korean Wang Jeung Hun in 2011.
Already seven shots ahead to start the day, Go kept his cool before making bogeys on the 8th and 9th holes. However, he had no cause for concern as Ng at that point, was having a miserable time, going four-over.
Ng had several chances to come close as he came close to birdies on the first four holes but simply couldn’t find the cup.
Go will be flying back to the United States this Sunday as he hopes to help the Pirates in the NCAA. That would mean though that Go will not be suiting up for CCC in the upcoming PAL Interclub.
Carlos took second place via countback over last year’s champion, Jerome Ng of Singapore. He shot in an even-par 72 for a 302. Ng hobbled to the finish line with a final round score of 80.
Another golfer from the famed CCC junior golf program, Japanese Gen Nagai, climbed from eighth place to fourth with a 73. The Cebu International School student ended up with an aggregrate of 305.