Pinay golfers pull away in Santi Cup

MANILA, Philippines - Miya Legaspi sustained her top form and fired a second 67 while Princess Superal rebounded with a 69 as the Philippines pulled away by eight over Thailand with another 136 in the second round of the Santi Cup of the 54th South East Asian Amateur Golf Team Championship in Brunei late Tuesday.

Legaspi kept her mastery of the par-71 Empire Hotel and Country Club layout, ramming in five birdies against one bogey to turn in another four-under card and likewise lead in the individual play at 134. With Superal finally hitting her stride after failing to count in the three-to-play, two-to-count format event with a 76 Monday, Team Phl assembled a 272.

After an opening 69, Pauline del Rosario, Superal’s teammate at the ICTSI golf stable, settled for a 70, which didn’t count.

Thailand slowed down with a 141 after a 139 but remained in second at 280 while Singapore fell farther behind at 285 after a 144. Malaysia and Indonesia each carded a 143 for 292 and 293, respectively, while the hosts skied to a 173 for a 339.

But while the Filipina golfers pulled away from the pack, the other Phl teams continued to drift away from the leaders in their respective divisions with the men’s team pooling a 437 after a 216 and lay 29 strokes behind Thailand in the Putra Cup.

The Thais, who lost to the Filipinos at Sherwood Hills last year, also continued to dominate the centerpiece event, combining for a sizzling 201 for a 408, 16 shots ahead of Singapore, which had a 424 after a 212. Malaysia carded a 215 for a 426, 11 strokes ahead of the fourth-running defending champions.

Rupert Zaragosa bounced back with a 69 but Tonlits Asistio and Kristoffer Arevalo could only chip in 72 and 74, respectively, with Justin Quiban failing to count in the four-to-play, three-to-count men’s play with a 79.

The Phl also stood eight shots behind Thailand in the Lion City Cup after a 147 as Wei Wei Gao shot a 73 and Dan Cruz added a 74 for a 292 total with the Thais firing a 140 for a 284. Malaysia also scored a 140 for a 290.

The Filipinos also fell way behind in the Kartini Cup paced by Thailand at 270 after a 136 as Harmie Constantino and Ashia Nocum carded 74 and 76, respectively, for a 150 and a 297 for joint third with Malaysia, which shot a 147. Indonesia fired a second 145 for second at 290.