Tanpinco fires ace, shares lead with Thai

The Philippines’ J.R. Tanpinco scored a hole-in-one on his way to a 75 yesterday to start his defense of the boys’ Special Division title on a high note in the fifth Philippine International Junior Golf Championship.

Tanpinco, 20 and a veteran internationalist, made his second career ace on the par three, 148-yard eighth hole of the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club.

That gave him five under at that stage. But he had an adventurous back nine that included a triple bogey and a double bogey after sending his ball twice into the water.

That enabled Thailand’s Tepphatud Sanawong to catch Tanpinco at the top and sent the race for the division title a battle to the finish in the event organized by the Philippine Junior Golf Federation headed by president Edgardo "Boy" Cantada and hosted by Wack Wack led by president Ben Abalos.

If Tanpinco and Sanawong were on top of the division limited to players who are 18-21 years old, Marvin Luis Mendoza and Felicia Mikhaela of the Philippines were the first winners.

Mendoza came up with a 93 to top the boys’ beginners division while Solano shot 105 to rule the girls’ beginners’ division.

The four are among the 92 players from eight countries competing in the event sponsored by Cebu Pacific, Herma Group of Companies, Milo and Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corp.

The other backers are Arlift Asiza, All Seasons Manpower Int’l Services Inc., Bingo Bonanza, CRC Concrete Mix Corp., Duty Free Philippines Fiesta Mall, Eaglecor Inc., EDSA Shangri-La Hotel, Foren Corporation, Gilberto Duavit, Junior Golf Parents.

Magsaysay Martime Corp., Makati Foundry Inc., Mitsubishi Motors, Morelia Tours, Outback Steakhouse, Philippine Flour Mills, Pioneer Insurance, Takanobu Taira, Toyota Otis, Sysu International, Wack Wack Golf and Country Club, Triplex Tents, Sen. Blas Ople, Rep. Willie Villarama and Gourmet’s Café.

Vyen Jugo Villanueva scored a 96 to place second in the boys’ beginners’ division while Lucio Tan III, the Taipan’s grandson, settled for third after shooting 110.

Vivienne Velasquez came up with 109 to capture second place in the girls’ beginners’ division.