Park, Constantino pull away

KOREAN expatriate Park Min-ung and Harmie Constantino all but wrapped up the titles in the men’s and women’s divisions, respectively, of the Sta. Lucia Amateur Tour after erecting huge leads with big second-round efforts yesterday.

Park struggled early but finished strong on the way to a one-under-par 71 and a staggering eight-shot lead over nemesis and reigning national titlist Rupert Zaragosa and two others at Summit Point in Lipa City.

Constantino, meanwhile, fired a women’s course-record 65 for a 36-hole of 134, giving here a similar eight-shot lead over Daniella Uy who shot a 70, Bianca Pagdanganan who assembled a 72 and Korean Hwang Kin-jeong who fired a 73.

Constantino actually matched the 65 set by Japan Tour veteran Juvic Pagunsan several years ago from the championship tees. The women’s tees are a lot closer.

Zaragosa, who routed Park in the title match of the Philippine Am Junior Match Plays a couple of weeks back, struggled to a 76 over the Robert Trent Jones Jr. layout for 146, in a tie with JP De Claro, who shot a 72, and Justin Quiban, who carded a 74. Musong R. Castillo