Becierra threatens within two

SINGAPORE – Dante Becierra turned in the day’s best score of one-under par 70 and moved within two strokes of Edgar Oh of Singapore in the third round of the Singapore Open Amateur Championship at the Warren Golf and Country Club here yesterday.

Five behind the local bet at the start of the round, Becierra bucked an opening hole bogey with three straight birdies, including a pitch-in at the 220-yard par-3 No. 7, a tap-in on the par-5 No. 8 which he reached in two and a 26-footer on the ninth, which he double-bogeyed the previous round.

“My all-around game just clicked and I made a couple of lucky birdies,” said Becierra, who had a 219, in Filipino. “I could have done better but I missed a couple of birdie putts inside six feet.”

Oh remained on top despite a second straight two-over 73 for a 217 as the field continued to struggle under tough playing condition at the tight par-71 layout.

 Ashbeer Singh Saini was two behind Oh at the halfway mark, fumbling with a 76 and tumbling to joint fifth at 222 in a tie with Jerome Ng of Singapore and Rashin Khan of India, who both had 71s.

Nay Bala Win of Myanmar and Mithun Perera of Sri Lanka were tied at third with 220s after a 71 and a 73, respectively.

The 23-year-old top ICTSI-The Country Club bet is seeking his first international crown since sweeping Hong Kong’s premier amateur events – the HK Amateur Open and the Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau International Amateur Open – in 2007.

“I need to stay focused and try to keep it close and let’s see what happens,” said Becierra, trying to become the first Filipino to win here since Michael Bibat ruled the event in 2004.

Mhark Fernando made a 33 at the back and salvaged a 75 for 225 for eighth while ICTSI-Cangolf teammate Jessie Balasabas stood in jointh 18th with a 228 after a 75.

But while Becierra moved up from joint ninth to solo second, ICTSI teammates Justin Limjap (78-233) and Brent Sumampong (82-239) floundered heading into the final round of the 72-hole championship.

Jhonnel Ababa had a 235 after 78.

Over in Taiwan, Chihiro Ikeda matched par 72 to move up to fourth but stood seven strokes off Hsuan Yu Yao after three rounds in the Taiwan Amateur Golf Championship at the Sunrise Golf Club in Taoyuan County.

Ikeda made a 35 at the front but bogeyed the par-5 18th for that 72 and a 222, way behind Hsuan, who fired a 70-215 for a four-shot lead over Japan’s Mamiko Higa, who had a 219 after a 71.

Thai Thidapa Suwannapura slid to third with a 76 for a 220.

Lovelynn Guioguio, just two shots off the lead after two rounds, limped home with a 77 and slid to joint fifth at 224 while ICTSI teammates Dottie Ardina and Sarah Ababa hardly improved with 73-224 and 74-229, respectively.

In men’s play, Jobim Carlos of ICTSI-Cangolf, who shot a 70 on the first day, rebounded from a second round 76 with a 72-218 for joint 10th, 16 strokes off Chien Yao Hung, who pulled away with a 67 for a 202, eight strokes ahead ofChi Hsien Hsieh, who had a 210 afer a 68.

ICTSI bet Peter Villaber skied to an 81 for a 227 while John Abdon Kier had an 84 for a 232.