Southeast Asian Games veteran Harmie Constantino went for the safety pars when the birdie putts didn’t fall en route to a one-under-par 71 that left her just two strokes off the lead in the girls 13-14 years division at the start of the IMG Academy Junior World Championships Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) in San Diego, California.
Constanino birdied two of the four par-5s but her bid to go low was snagged by numerous putting miscues on the greens of Country Club of Rancho Bernardo and with a bogey on the sixth had to settle for a share of sixth as the best Filipino performer for the day.
Teeing off early in the biting cold, Rupert Zaragosa recovered from a sluggish start with a solid back nine for a one-over 73 at Torrey Pines south to share 10th place just four shots off the American leader.
Last minute entry Alexi Blanco and Pauline del Rosario provided the other bright spots in a slow start for the PH bets who witnessed another show of force by Asian rival Japan.
Japan took five of the 12 division leaderships in this event that drew more than a thousand juniors from 56 countries.
Blanco was running sixth but 9 shots off the lead in the girls 7-8 years after a 63 at Sycuan Resort Pine Glen while del Rosario carried the cudgels for the girls 15-17 bets by barging into the Top 10 with a 73.
Cousins Aidric Chan and Carl Corpus both finished with 72s in the boys 13-14 play at Morgan Resort but fell seven shots off the lead while boys 11-12 Jed Dy shot a 75 and was tied with compatriot Josh Jorge at 21st.
The PH contingent is supported by Philippine Airlines, ICTSI Sports, Friends of Jungolf and Cleanpak.