Manotoc, Zaragosa pace Junior Am field

TRECE MARTIREZ CITY, Cavite— Gabriel Manotoc and Rupert Zaragosa yesterday didn’t play with their A-Games but still managed even-par 72s to share the first round lead in the Philippine Junior Amateur Closed championship presented by the MVP Sports Foundation at Sherwood Hills here.

The close friends were on separate flights and had their misfortunes, with Zaragosa signing for a double-bogey 7 on the par-5 12th and Manotoc having four bogeys in his round in the event that is part of the PLDT Group Amateur Tour and backed by Pancake House, Nike, Golf Depot, Pacsports and Microtel Eagle Ridge.

“I just didn’t hit it that well today,” the 15-year-old Manotoc said as he and Zaragosa took a four-stroke lead over AR Ramos and Jelbert Gamolo even as Chanelle Avaricio, Pauleen Del Rosario and Daniela Uy shared the girls’ lead after shooting 74s.

Bianca Pagdanganan, Sam Martinez and the talented Princess Superal were all just a stroke back.