Thailand Asean virtual champ, leads Phl by 23

MANILA, Philippines - Even in harsh conditions, Thailand found a way to survive, scrambling with a one-under 215 to all but wrap up the 2013 ASEAN Schools Golf Championships crown with a 23-shot lead over Team Philippines after three rounds of play at the wind-raked Splendido Golf Club in Tagaytay yesterday.

Supamas Sangchan, priming up with Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong, for next month’s SEA Games in Myanmar, birdied the first three holes but faltered with a slew of bogeys while battling the wind, needing to birdie the par-5 18th to salvage a 71.

That proved to be Thailand’s best score on a  punishing day when tee boxes were pushed back, making the course longer, and the wind blew from all over as Santiwiwatthanaphong, who shot 64 and 68 in the first round rounds, settled for a 72 on a two-birdie, two-bogey stint.

Suthave Chanachai also blew a two-under card with two bogeys at the backside as the Thais slowed down with a 215 after dominating the field with 13-under and 16-under cards in the first two days of the event sponsored by the Department of Education, International Container Terminal Services, Inc. and Junior Golf Foundation of the Phils.

With a 30-under 618 aggregate, Thailand stood 23 shots ahead of the ICTSI-backed Team Phl, which hobbled with a two-over 218 for a seven-under 641 total. Miya Legaspi, the reigning Asian Youth Games gold medalist, finally broke par at 71 but Princess Superal struggled with a 73 after back-to-back 70s and Pauline del Rosario limped with a 74 after a 67 and 72.

Daniella Uy didn’t count with a 75 in the four-to-play, three-to-count format event which features the teams seeing action in the Myanmar SEA Games set Dec. 11-22.

Indonesia remained in distant third at 665 after 224, while Malaysia pooled a 673 after a 227 and Singapore made a 239 for a 701.

Rupert Zaragosa, meanwhile, went on a birdie-eagle start but wavered with two bogeys in the last six holes for a 71, enabling Thai Nattawat Suvajanakkorn to seize the boys’ individual lead with a five-under 67 and a 210.

Zaragosa slipped to second at 211, ensuring a shootout in today’s final round where the Thais are poised to score a sweep of the team and individual titles in both divisions.

Santiwiwatthanaphong kept a six-shot lead intact in the girls’ individual competition as she totaled a 204 for a six-stroke lead over teammate Sangchan at 210 while Chanachai pooled a 212 for third.

Del Rosario, winner of the Junior World 13-14 crown in San Diego last July, dropped to fourth at 213 in a tie with Superal, the silver medalist in the Asian Youth Games.