Teeners take charge in RP Amateur

STA. ROSA, Laguna — Teeners Ton Ton Asistio and Mia Piccio came through with solid rounds to top their respective divisions even as Asian Games bronze medalist Michael Bibat recovered from a disastrous start to salvage a spot in the match play phase of the 2006 Philippine Amateur Golf Championships at The Country Club yesterday.

Asistio took advantage of the early morning tee off and fired a two-under par 70, making three birdies against a bogey in the last six holes for a 36-34 card.

Counting his earlier 74, the 16-year-old Asistio finished the 36-hole elims with an even par 144 to tow 31 others to the tournament proper where action shifts from stroke to match play starting today.

He drew Joel Opaco as his rival in the first round of match play while Asian Gamer Jay Bayron finished second in the qualifiers with a 146 after a 74 to set up a last 32 clash with Gene Bondoc.

Bibat, who rallied in the last round to bag the individual bronze medal in the recent Asiad in Doha, fought back from a wind-blown 83 Monday and shot a one-under 71 to jump from 55th to 19th with a 154. He takes on Jong Laput, who had a 77 and a 153.

The other notables who advanced were Louie Dacudao (76-148), Miko Alejandro (73-149) and Marvin Dumandan (76-150), who faces Lorenzo Patnongon (77-150) in the match play.

But 2004 national champion Jun Bernis bogeyed No. 1 and failed to advance after losing to Opaco and Edsel Tan in a three-man playoff for the last spot.

Piccio blew a two-under 34 card at the back with a closing 39 but that 73 was enough to give last year’s runner-up the top seeding in the ladies side of the event sponsored by ICTSI and conducted by NGAP.

The 14-year-old Piccio, who lost last year’s title to Frances Bondad but came back to win the Jack & Madeleine Hooper Memorial Major golf crown in California early this year, closed out with a 145 to arrange a showdown with unheralded Ting Ting Cao, who snatched the last berth in the 16-player ladies.

But focus will be on Asian Games teammates Dottie Ardina and Cyna Rodriguez, who finished seventh and 10th with 153 and 156, respectively, and drew each other in Last 16 duel between two Junior World champions.

Crystal Superal, one of the emerging talents from the ICTSI golf program, finished second with a 72 and a 146 as she set up a clash with Lovelyn Guioguio, who had a 162 after a 79.

Two foreign players — Ainil Abu Bakar of Malaysia and Melissa Loh of Singapore — crashed into the match play event with the former, who finished third with a 72 and a 147, colliding with Linnel de Villa (78-160) and the latter, sixth placer with 74-153, tangling with Chihiro Ikeda (79-157).

But poor form continued to hound Debbie de Villa, winner of this year’s RP Ladies Open title, who turned in 80 and 94 and failed to advance with a 174.

Former RP Ladies Open champion Carmellete Villaroman matched par 72 for a 148 and finished fourth to seal a duel with Paulina Sotto, who had an 80 and a 159 for 13th place.

Asian Gamer Anya Tanpinco wound up fifth with two 76s for a 152 and is paired with Lora Roberto, who had two 79s for a 158, while Regina de Guzman (77-153) and Bambee dela Paz (78-155) drew each other in the match play by finishing eighth and ninth, respectively.