Becierra stumbles, ends up 6th

MANILA, Philippines - Dante Becierra came out cold from an hour-long rain delay and folded up at the backside for an awful 80, finishing sixth in the Singapore Open Amateur Championship ruled by local bet Edgar Oh at the Warren Golf and Country Club in Singapore yesterday.

Becierra moved within one off Oh after four holes when play was suspended due to heavy rains but the top ICTSI-backed bet struggled at resumption of play, hobbling with too many bogeys and a double bogey at the backside and blowing a chance to contend for the crown.

He wound up with a 42 for that 80 and a 299, extending the Philippines’ title drought in this annual event last topped by a Filipino – Michael Bibat – in 2004.

“I suddenly turned cold after a long break and I couldn’t get my rhythm back,” said Becierra in Filipino.

Jerome Ng, also of Singapore, took third place with a 298 after a 75.

Myanmar’s Nay Bala Win shot a 78 and tied for fourth at 298 with last year’s winner Rashid Khan of India, who had a 76.

Justin Limjap made a 79 for a 313 while Brent Sumampong had an 83 for a 323.

Over in Taiwan, ICTSI’s Chihiro Ikeda carded a 75 and finished joint third with Thai Thidapa Suwannapura, who had a 77, at 297, 11 strokes behind local bet Hsuan Yu Yao in the Taiwan Amateur Golf Championship at the Sunrise Golf Club in Taoyuan County yesterday.

Hsuan coasted to a seven-shot romp over Mamiko Higa with a 286 after a 71 with the Japanese bet shooting a 74 and finishing with a 293.

Lovelynn Guioguio wound up joint sixth with a 302 after a 79 while Dottie Ardina hobbled with an 81 and slid to 10th with a 305. Sarah Ababa ended up 13th with a 312 after an 83.

Jobim Carlos of ICTSI-Cangolf emerged the top Filipino finisher in the men’s side with a 294 after a 76 for 12th place, 20 strokes off Chien Yao Hung, who ran away with a six-shot win over compatriot Chi Hsien Hsieh with a 274 after a 72. Hsieh fired a 70 for a 280.

Peter Villaber wound up 20th with a 305 after a 78 while John Abdon finished next with a 74 for a 206.