Nagai, Pagdanganan clinch Jr Amateur crowns

MANILA, Philippines - Japanese Gen Nagai matched par 72 for the second straight day and pounced on Raymart Tolentino’s final round meltdown to rule the Philippine Junior Amateur Championship presented by the MVP Sports Foundation at Sherwood Hills in Trece Martirez, Cavite yesterday.

The 16-year-old Nagai, a Cebu resident who helped Cebu CC win the PAL Interclub crown from 2012-13, closed out with a 35-37 card in tough condition for a 301 total to score a come-from-behind win in the event forming part of the PLDT Group Amateur Tour.

Nagai, who trailed Tolentino by four after three rounds, won by whopping eight strokes over Gabriel Manotoc, who returned a 78, and Tolentino, who skied to an 84 after leading the first three rounds, for 309s.

After birdies on Nos. 2 and 4 and dropping his first shot on the difficult ninth, Nagai surged ahead by four going into his inward nine en route to winning the biggest event of his young career while keeping the championship out of the hands of a Filipino.

Park Min-ung of Korea triumphed last year, while Gio Gandiongco, also a former Cebu CC mainstay now in the US on a golfing scholarship, was the last homegrown bet to win in 2012.

Fil-Canadian Diego San Pedro fumbled with an 81 to settle for fourth, 10 shots behind while Aldric Chan carded a 73 to tie Park, who skied to an 82, at 313.

Kristopher Arevalo, the 13-14 champion in the Callaway Junior Worlds last year, closed out with an 80 for a 318.

Bianca Pagdanganan also came from behind to win the girls’ crown, shooting a 75 and beating Harmie Constantino by three in the event backed by Pancake House, Golf Depot and Pacsports.

Pagdanganan carved out a 38-37 effort for a 302, with Constantino, who held the lead after a third round of 73, hobbling with an 80 for 305.

Daniela Uy finished third with a 307 after a 79 while Felicia Medalla wound up with an 88 for a 323.

Indonesian Rivani Sihotang was the best-placed foreigner in the girls’ division at 321 after an 83.