Tolentino keeps 4-shot Jr Am buffer

TRECE Martirez, Cavite—Grinding it out on another demanding day, Raymart Tolentino carded a five-over-par 77  Thursday and remained four strokes ahead of Gen Nagai going into the final round of the Philippine Junior Amateur Championship presented by the MVP Sports Foundation at Sherwood Hills here.

Bucking two double bogeys, including a four-putt 7 on the 12th, Tolentino stayed comfortably ahead in his chase for a first national title with a 225 aggregate in the event forming part of the PLDT Group Amateur Tour and backed by Pancake House, Golf Depot and Pacsports.

Nagai, the Japanese expatriate who calls Cebu home, chalked up the best score of the tournament, a par 72, to emerge a serious contender at 229 with Fil-Canadian Diego San Pedro also shooting a 77 to take third at 230.

But Tolentino, a product of the Aguinaldo program funded by Rolly Romero, told the Inquirer that a four-stroke lead is not a safe enough buffer in the final 18 holes.

“No, I wouldn’t look at it that way,” he said. “I will just play in the present.”

Harmie Constantino seized the lead in girls’ paly after firing a 73 for 225, with Bianca Pagdanganan, two behind after a 74, and two-day leader Daniela Uy slipping to third (77-228).

Gabriel Manotoc also put himself in the mix in the boys’ division with a 76 to catch defending champion Park Min-ung at 231, with Ramir Roque firing an 81 to be at 235.