Eagle Ridge’s Kim paces Sta. Lucia Am Davao leg

DAVAO—Brian Kim shot a 1-over-par 73 and paced Jelbert Gamolo and Davaoeño William Tomanggong by one stroke after the first round of the Sta. Lucia Amateur Series’ fourth leg at Rancho Palos Verdes course yesterday.

Kim, playing out of Eagle Ridge, birdied No. 4 from eight feet but dropped two shots the rest of the way.

Gamolo, a sophomore at Lyceum of the Philippines University, would have tied Kim atop the leaderboard but muffed a 6-foot putt for par on the 18th.

The unheralded Tomanggong bogeyed two of the last three holes.

“It was a tough and long course,” said the 27-year-old Kim, who drove into the woods on No. 8 and three-putted No. 14.

Businessman Joel Yamyamin, a PAL Interclub regular, lay three shots off after a 76 followed by Korean expatriate Kim Il-gyu, who shot a 79, in the event sponsored by Wilcon Depot, Pomelo Tee, Mi-zuno Davies Paints and Kang Ho Bong.

The Davao leg closes the elimination phase of the series, headed by tournament chair Vince Santos, before the Tournament of Champions, slated at Beverly Place in Pampanga, on Aug. 27 to 29.

Tournament backers: ICSI, AQEI, WGC Golf, Isuzu, Dizon Farms, Texas Eagle, Rub Ribs, VMJ Evergreen, Ecostrong, U-Frieght, Gatorade, Dunlop, Boysen, Security Bank, Royale Homes and Microtel.