Ong nails PH Am match play title

Marc Ong of Singapore used an explosive start to score a 3 and 2 victory over Filipino Aidric Chan in the 36-hole finals of  the Philippine Amateur Open Match Play championship at the Player course of Orchard in Dasmariñas, Cavite.

Ong, the classification round topnotcher who took out top local hope Rupert Zaragosa in the Final Four on Friday, 4 and 2, opened up birdie-par-eagle and never looked back against Chan, who nonetheless booked the finest finish of his young career.

“He was just too good today,” said Chan, a 14-year-old who is one of the country’s up-and-coming talents.

Chan trailed by three at the start of the afternoon 18 and doggedly tried to claw back but the seasoned Ong held his ground each time the Filipino teener tried to mount a rally.

Ong became the second Singaporean to win a Philippine national championship this decade after Gregory Foo, who  triumphed at Wack Wack a couple of years ago before starting his mandatory two-year military service.

“I will just have to savor this moment,” said Ong, who will also start his military service next year and like Foo, would not be able to defend his title.

Harmie Constantino, meanwhile, nipped Sam Bruce, 1-up, in the all-Filipino women’s final.

It was Constantino’s second straight national title counting the Junior Stroke Play championship last week. She will spearhead the Philippine team in the Southeast Asian Games in Singapore in June.

Constantino was supposed to skip this event to prepare for the Junior World qualifiers next week at Splendido in Tagaytay. Musong R. Castillo