SINGAPORE: Yuka Saso rallied with a 66 while Harmie Constantino carded a 71 as the Philippines closed out with a 137 to finish second to Thailand in the rain-hit eighth Santi Cup of the South East Asian Amateur Golf Team Championship at the TMCC Garden Course in Singapore, media reports said.
Saso’s final round charge made up for a horrible 78 in the third round as the Philippines, champion in this annual event in 2014 in Brunei, fell behind the solid Thailand crew and failed to recover, reported Manila Times.
The Philippines reportedly opened with a 142, fought back with a 139 in the second round but faltered in the third with a 148, finishing with a 566, 13 strokes behind Thailand’s 553 aggregate. Bernice Olivarez-Ilas, who anchored the team’s second round bid with a 68, failed to count in the final day with a 78.
Pajaree Anannarukarn led Thailand’s title romp with a 65 while Kanyalak Preedasuttijit added a 69 as they turned in a 134 for that 553, the report said.
Host Singapore took charge in the first round with a 137 but skied to a 151 in the second round and wound up third with a 150 for a 583 while Indonesia placed fourth with a 596 after a 148 and Hong Kong skied to a 151 for a 608, said the news portal.
Constantino and Saso, winner of two legs in the ladies pro circuit back home, reportedly ended up third and fourth with 287 and 288, respectively, in the individual competition swept by Anannarukarn (270) and Preedasuttijit (283).
The Philippines, whose campaign is sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation and the Philippine Sports Commission and sanctioned by the National Golf Association of the Philippines, also placed third in the fourth Kartini Cup with Nicole Abelar finishing third in the individual competition, said the news portal.
Abelar carded a closing 73 while Junia Gabasa shot a 76 as they assembled a 149 for a 593, 22 shots behind Thailand’s 571 after a 138. Kristine Torralba didn’t count with a 79, reported Manila Times, adding that Malaysia placed second with a 587 after a 148.
