Fernando shares lead in HK Am

MANILA, Philippines - Reigning national champion Mhark Fernando fought back from two over par rounds with a solid six-under par 66 to grab a share of lead with Australian Daniel Nisbet in the third round of the Hong Kong Open Amateur Golf Championship at the Discovery Bay Golf Club in Hong Kong yesterday.

Fernando, who struggled with a 73 and 75 in the first two rounds, finally found his rhythm and came through with superb approach shots to set birdie opportunities on his way to that 66 for a 54-hole aggregate 214.

That gave Fernando, who won a pro leg on the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour recently, a piece of the lead at 214 with Nisbet, who turned in a four-under par 68 but a couple of players remained just a shot behind and another one stood three strokes adrift, ensuring a shootout for the championship which stakes a berth in the Hong Kong Open next week.

But it was Fernando’s Calatagan teammate Jhonnel Ababa who actually shot the day’s best score, a seven-under 65, giving the reed-thin shotmaker, who beat Fernando for the Cangolf Am crown last month, a 215 total in a tie with local bet Staunton de Lacy, who carded a 68.

Steven Lam also stayed in the hunt with a 217 after a one-under 71 while the rest stood too far behind the leaders, including Aussie Lester Peterson, who had a 219 after a 74, and Singapore’s Jerome Ng (69-221) and Lam Zhi Qun (79-223).

Fernando and Ababa, who also saw action in last week’s Asian Amateur Championship, are priming up for next month’s SEA Games in Laos where they will be joined by ICTSI golf team’s Antonio Asistio II and Rufino Bayron.