Quiazon bails out RP golfers

BUSAN, South Korea – Filipino golfers leaned on the efforts of a pretty US-based Filipina to put some semblance of order on a day of soaring scores at the mountain-top Asiad Country Club here.

Rhia Denise Quiazon carded an even par 72, the second best card in the day, on the ladies side of the event and emerged joint fourth placer in the individual event, making up for a lethargic outing of the favored men’s squad.

The RP men’s team skid to eighth place as they staggered on the newly-built layout and looked hard-pressed to medal in the event where it has never been shut out since 1986 with a 456 total on three 77 cards.

Two-time national amateur champion Angelo Que could only do a 77 after a first day 74 while Juvic Pagunsan, the SEA Games gold medalist, and Jerome Delariarte submitted identical 77s.

The team found itself in the middle of the 16-team pack and faced the daunting task of coming up with superb golf over the weekend to figure in the medal race after Chinese-Taipei posted a leading 427.

Japan was running second with 437 and Sri Lanka, continuing a great run despite having only three men, had 441 for third place.

Marlon Dizon didn’t count for the RP team with a 78. Que was holding an even par card in the first six holes but finished the front nine with bogey-bogey-double bogey. Two bogeys against one birdie on the backside of the Pete Dye-designed layout gave him that five-over round.

Pagunsan never got untracked under ideal morning condition, going five over in the first 10 holes and needed a birdie on the last hole for his 77 while Delariarte also staggered with a double bogey and a triple bogey on two of the last three holes on the frontside.

The 21-year-old Quiazon, a member of the team that won the bronze in Bangkok four years ago, was holding a one-under par up to the 17th but she bogeyed the 18th for her 72. She birdied the fifth and 17th against bogeys on the eighth and the last hole.

With former RP amateur champion Carmellete Villaroman shooting a 76, the RP ladies improved their standing from fourth to third with 301 (153-148). Heidi Chua didn’t count with a 78.

"We’re just playing our game. We don’t feel any pressure. I think it’s the men’s team which is feeling the pressure because they’re expected to do well," said ladies team captain Alice Andrada.

Japan is holding a one-shot lead over host Korea, 289-290, going into the last two days of the tournament.

Quiazon was trailing leader Kim Joo Mi of Korea by seven strokes in the individual derby. Kim had 143 to go one shot up over Japan’s Ai Miyazato, after the two carded the day’s lowest card of 70. Another Japanese, Ayako Uhara, had a 74 for 145. Quiazon was sharing the fourth with Taipei’s Hung Chin Huei and Korea’s Park Won Mi.

In the first round Thursday, the Philippines threw away six strokes on one treacherous short hole and settled for a share of third place in men’s play.

Two-time national amateur Que and Pagunsan staggered with two triple bogeys on out-of-bounds tee shots on the hazard-laden par 3 sixth hole en route to 74 and 75, respectively, as the Filipinos amassed a first day card of 225.

Delariarte added a 76 while Dizon didn’t count with a 79. That put RP’s top amateurs in a tie with Japan at 225, seven shots behind first round leader Chinese-Taipei (218) and two off surprise second placer Sri Lanka with 228.

Chua paced the women’s side to a fourth position with a 76 followed by Villaroman with a 77 while Quiazon didn’t figure for the team with a 78.