Trinos brothers, Zaragosa pace US Kids elims

MANILA, Philippines - Brothers Alex Delfin and Alex Bernard Trinos seized the lead by six strokes in their respective divisions even as Rupert Zaragosa, Bernice Olivarez-Ilas and Princess Superal turned in the day’s best scores at the start of the US Kids World Championship Philippine qualifier at the Player course of the Orchard Golf and Country Club course.

Alex Delfin’s round of 81 gave him a six-stroke lead in the boys 8 years category while younger brother Alex Bernard also took command by six shots in the 7 years class after a nine-hole effort of 48.

Heavily favored to win her class, Superal carded two birdies in the front nine en route to a 73 and an eight-shot advantage in girls 11-12, joining Olivarez-Ilas, Kristine Torralba, Samantha Marie Bruce, Abby Arevalo, Felicia Medalla, Jonah Paula Ilagan and Joanna Malabag as frontrunners in the girls side.

Like the Trinos brothers and Zaragosa whose 73 in the 11 years division gave him a two-shot cushion, Josh Jorge, Ryan Monsalve, Kristoffer Arevalo, Mark Anthony Arevalo, Miguel Alfonso Shah and Jama Reyes showed the way in the boys class.

US Kids through its local distributor Great Depot is sponsoring the country’s first-ever Philippine US Kids qualifier to lend support to the efforts of promoting the game of golf. The top performers here will earn invitations to the US Kids World Championship proper this coming August in Pinehurst, North Carolina, the same event where Dottie Ardina had scored a sweep of all five age-groups and Miguel Tabuena, Mia Legaspi and AR Ramos also among the past champions.

Olivares-Ilas assembled her own version of one-over 37 to lead her division by four in the three-day tourney held in coordination with the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines and Orchard.

It was Zaragosa, son of touring pro Boyet, who came through with the most impressive round of 73 built around three birdies from the yellow tees, putting him two up on Justin Dy.