Koreans, Thais share honors; Superal 11th

INCHEON, South Korea – Gyeol Park attacked the course she called her second home with a tantalizing eight-under-par 64 to snatch the gold in individual competition decided on the final hole of her showdown with the Thais at the close of the Asian Games golf competitions yesterday.

On a bright sunny day and in front of hordes of golf-crazy Koreans who came in droves and caused traffic 10 kilometers long, Park, tied with erstwhile leader Sukapan Budsabakom after a birdie on No. 15 then watched her rival bogey the 17th to claim the gold with an even par in the last hole.

It was the end of a classic battle between a hometown favorite and the charging Thai` who hung on to the lead from the first day until the final collapse on the l7th hole.

Park finished with a 64-269, a good 19-under par on another perfect day of golf, while Sukapan finished with a 67, one of her scores in the 60s, for 270 and the silver medal while compatriot Sangchan Supamas was third with a 68-274.

The Philippines’ Princess Superal, whose exploits included amazing wins in the US junior championship and the 2013 Myanmar Southeast Asian Games, was nowhere her topnotch form but her 69-73-72-70 was good enough for 11th place in the battle among future world champs.

Mia Legaspi fumbled with a 74 and ended 13th with a 287, while Pauline del Rosario had another 75 for a 23-over par 301.

The Filipinas finished at fifth overall with 144-571 behind the gold medal score of 538 of Thailand, the second best 545 of Korea and the third best 559 of China.

In men’s play, the Rupert Zaragosa fired a five under 67 and Raymart Tolentio added 72 for the Philippines’ fourth round score of 214, its best in four days for an aggregate of 871. Justin Raphael Quiban didn’t count with a 76.

The effort, however, did little to improve their ninth place in the team event won by Chinese Taipei (819), with Korea second (826) and Thailand third (833).

Pang Cheng Tuang of Taipei, who led the first three rounds with 66-69-65,  won the men’s individual old with a 271 despite a 71 in the fourth. Korea’s Kim Namhun took the silver with 68-273 and Yu Chun An of Taiwan the bronze with 67-276.

Zaragosa was the best Filipino performer, finishing 18th with 67-284. Quiban was 37th with 76-296, Tolentino 42nd with 72-299 and Arevalo 45th with 75-300.