MANILA, Philippines - Keanu Jahns withstood a steady John Kier Abdon and a fast-charging Rupert Zaragosa as he stretched his overnight lead to two despite a final-hole bogey for a 69 in the third round of the WWWExpress-DHL Amateur Golf Championship at Cangolf’s north course in Laguna yesterday.
Jahns, who surged ahead by one over Justin Quiban with a 70 Wednesday, threatened to pull away with two birdies in a three-hole stretch from No. 14 but stumbled with a bogey on the final hole and settled for a 35-34 card.
His 214 aggregate, however, put him two shots behind Abdon, who strung up a pair of 35s to put himself in contention at 216 heading to the final 18 holes of the annual event serving as part of the PLDT Group Amateur Golf Tour.
Zaragosa continued to get better after a disastrous 77 in the opening round, following up his 73 with the day’s best four-under 68 as he wrested solo third at 218. The former junior and national champion actually opened the round with a bogey but rattled off five birdies in the next eight holes, including closing back-to-back birdies for a 32.
He, however, failed to sustain his fiery charge, settling for a one-birdie, one-bogey stint at the back for that 68 even as Quiban dropped to fourth at 219 after a 73 and Gen Nagai carded a 74 for a 220.
While Jahns braced for a down-to-the-wire finish, Dottie Ardina primed herself up for a runaway finish as she fired a flawless 69 to post a whopping seven-stroke lead over Pauline del Rosario.
The top ICTSI-The Country Club bet, a recipient of this year’s PSA Awards and the defending champion, proved she’s a cut above the rest, hitting three birdies while parring the rest of the holes for a 36-hole haul of 140.
Del Rosario fumbled with a 75 for a 147 while Princess Superal wavered with a closing 40 for a 75 and a 148 in a tie with Chanelle Avaricio, who made a 76.
Other backers of the event are Pancake House, Nike, Golf Depot and Pacsports.