INQUIRER Sports

CANLUBANG?Wang Jeung-Hun is a 14-year-old South Korean who has lived in the country for the last two years primarily to master the English language and the game of golf.

It was obvious from the way he talked and played Tuesday that he is doing a better job on his second objective.

Wang fired a four-under-par 68 in blustery conditions to share the first-round lead with seasoned internationalist Jessie Balasabas in the WWWExpress-DHL Men?s amateur championship at Cangolf?s North course here.

Wang gunned down six birdies in a 36-32 round, the same nines submitted by the 26-year-old Balasabas, as the duo took a two-shot lead over Erwin Madrileno, an obscure campaigner from Bacolod who is reportedly set to debut for The Country Club squad in the coming PAL Interclub.

?A little,? Wang told the Inquirer when asked if he could speak English.

But he made all the talking on the course as he stole the thunder from the big guns.

Coached by his father, Wang, a member at the Riviera who plays to a handicap 3, opened with a bogey on No. 1 and closed out the front nine by dropping another shot.

But he was smoking hot coming home, shooting four of his six birdies to catch Balasabas, the World Amateur veteran seeking to atone for a final-round collapse that opened the door for Rufino Bayron?s narrow victory two years ago.

Balasabas, who also bogeyed the first, actually shot five of his seven birdies in the back nine, including three straight from No. 12.

?It was a tough day out there,? Balasabas told the Inquirer in Filipino. ?I guess I was just able to put my approach shots in the right places and get my putter to work.?

Peter Villaber and Zanieboy Gialon shot 73s and lay five strokes off the pace, even as reigning amateur champion Mark Fernando struggled to a 74 to be in the company of celebrated jungolfer Miguel Tabuena and four others.

Bayron, despite a bad back, churned out a 75, the same card of Jonel Ababa, the host club?s reigning champion; Clyde Mondilla of Del Monte, Noel Langamin and two Koreans.

The tournament, one of the most prestigious amateur events in the country, does not have a defending champion after Singaporean Quincy Qwek turned pro this year.

All the country?s brightest talents, however, are here, save for Antonio Asistio, who had a bad case of hemorrhoids, according to teammate Bayron.