AIDRIC Chan hobbled with a six-over 77 but still prevailed by six while Harmie Constantino beat Korean Shin Seo Yun by seven with a one-under 70 as they shared the Elite division crowns in the 2017 NGAP Northern Luzon Regional Golf Championship at Beverly Place Golf Club in Mexico, Pampanga yesterday.
After blowing the field with a 68 and 67 in the first two days, Chan slackened a bit and closed out with a 37-40 marred by six birdies and a double bogey against a lone bogey. But that hardly put a dent on his overnight 12-shot lead which proved to be too big for his rivals to overcome.
He totaled a 212, six better than Carl Corpus, who matched par 71 for a 218 while Luis Castro finally broke par with a three-under 68 to salvage third at 219 in the 54-hole championship sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation and organized by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.
Paolo Wong shot a 70 and finished fourth at 221 while Lanz Uy also closed out with a one-under card for fifth at 224 followed by Kuresh Samanodi (79-229), Kristoffer Arevalo (76-233), Pierre Ticzon (78-236), Don Petil (82-236), and Leandro Bagtas (77-238).
Constantino, meanwhile, turned what had appeared to be a shootout into a final round blowout as the many-time national team mainstay, tied Shin after two rounds, saved her best for last and fired a 35-35 for a 215 to retain her crown in the event which served as part of the PLDT Group National Amateur Golf Tour.
Shin, who led in the first round, cracked under pressure, falling by two with a 37 start then holing out with a 40 for a 77 and a 222.
Another Korean Yang Ju Young shot a 71 to tie compatriot Kim Seo Yun, who wavered with a 73, at 227 while Kristine Torralba wound up fifth with a 231 after a 77 and Sunshine Zhang carded a 75 for a 240.
Meanwhile, August Cruz took the low gross title with a 230 while Bernard Chang bagged the low net plum with a 205 in the men’s division Group I ruled by Alan Alegre with a 231, nipping Francis Lanuza in the countback.
Rante Bambao also assembled a 230 to pocket the low gross while Jared Sto. Tomas had a 191 to cop the low net crown in Group II topped by Jose Benjamin Wenceslao, who made a 261, three ahead of Jesus Laigo.
Marianne Bustos of John Hay, on the other hand, captured the ladies handicap Open low gross crown with a 227 with Jonah Ilagan taking the low net plum with a 200.
