Unson ties for lead in China Am with 71

MANILA, Philippines - Andie Unson shot a one-under par 71 to tie fancied Zy Wang at the helm at the start of the China Amateur golf tournament at Beijing California Country Club course in Fangshan, Beijing Friday.

Unson, priming up for next month’s SEA Games in Indonesia, bucked an opening-hole bogey with birdies on Nos. 5 and 8 while rescuing pars twice at the tough par-72 layout.

The top ICTSI bet dropped another stroke on No. 11 after failing to return a six-footer for par but hit an eight-foot birdie putt on No. 13 to tie Wang in the lead in the four-day inaugural championship, which attracted 85 players from six countries and regions, including 32 winners of various Chinese amateur tournaments.

The field includes five national team members, led by Zhang Weiwei and Wang Xinying, and six youth team mainstays, including Chen Zihao, Dou Zecheng and Wu Haochuan.

Yu Okamura of Japan matched par 72 for solo third.

Unson, the reigning Philippine Amateur champion, will join Dottie Ardina and Chihiro Ikeda in the national team out to retain its team crown in the SEA Games with Ikeda also seeking a successful defense of the individual title.

Ardina is on her way to reaching top form with back-to-back victories the last three weeks, including a 10-shot romp in the Thailand Amateur Open and a four-point victory in the Canlubang Am Open last Friday.