Park, Hong pace Samsung Am tilt

MANILA, Philippines - Fancied Park Jung-soo and junior standout Charles Hong carded similar one-over-par 73s to share a two-stroke lead in the championship division after Wednesday’s opening round of the Samsung Amateur Golf Open at the challenging Eastridge Golf Club course in Binangonan, Rizal.

Park, a Korean expat, torched the front nine with four birdies for a 32 but slowed down coming with a 41 while Hong also encountered problems in the back nine after a solid start and wound up with nines of 35-38.

They were two shots ahead of Ariel Villasensio whose 75 on a steady 37-38 from the tough golf tees of Eastridge put him in solo third but still very much in the running for the 36-hole tourney’s top award.

Rading Decepida stole the limelight with the day’s lone sub-par round of 71 spiked by four birdies from the blue tees and surged ahead by four strokes over GJ Katigbak in men’s Class A.

Jeric Ang, Carlos Packing and Randy Cabangon were the other men’s division leaders in the event also supported by Glucos Care, A Round of Golf, Inquirer Golf, Omnisource International, International Armouring Corp. and BCLN Golf. Minor sponsors are Dynamic Sports and Leisure, Titleist, Custom Clubmakers, ABW Leaves of Life, CranUTI and Gargol.

In the ladies category, Matet Salivio, Jonah Ilagan and Sheryll Crystal took the top spot in their respective divisions.

Salivio fired a 74 for a two-shot advantage over Arianne Salvador, in Class A, Ilagan, daughter of Cainta Mayor Mon, led Salivio’s sister Mabel by two after an 82 in Class B and Crystal’s 91 put her far ahead of Vilma Catapult (117) in Class C.

In the men’s division, the championship group is for those with handicaps of 0-3.9, Class A for 4-8.9, Class B for 9-14.9 , Class C for 15-21.9 and Class D for 21 and above. In the ladies side, Class A is for 0-8.9, Class B for 9-19.9 and Class C for 20 and above.