Andie Unson
Andie Unson came out a bit steadier than Wang Zy in a sputtering back-nine trip for both leaders to capture the China Amateur Open crown by one stroke at the Beijing California Country Club course in Fangshan, Beijing, on Sunday.
Unson matched her Chinese rival’s closing even-par 72 despite bogeying three of the last five holes to prevail with a 215 total over 54 holes.
A crushing double-bogey on the 14th hole on top of two bogeys in the same stretch thwarted Wang, who led at the turn by two shots.
Wang earlier threatened to blow the field with a fiery 32 on the front nine highlighted by a three-birdie string from No. 4.
But she cracked under pressure and fumbled with a 40 coming in to post a 216 total.
“Andie never gave up,” said ICTSI team coach Nestor Mendoza. “She kept on pressing at the back and gained a break when she knocked down that 10-footer for birdie on No. 12.”
With Wang failing to can a six-footer for par at the par-3 No. 12, Unson gained a crucial two-shot swing to draw level. She then hung tough the rest of the way to clinch her fourth victory of the season.
Unson earlier won the Philippine Amateur, the Philippine International Junior Championship and the Montecillo Cup.
After both parred the par-5 No. 13, Unson regained the lead, despite a bogey on No. 14, after Wang hit an errant drive and struggled to reach the green in four. Wang flubbed a six-footer for bogey.
They both bogeyed the next hole, parred the par-3 16th, then fumbled with another pair of bogeys on the 17th.
Unson preserved the one-shot victory by matching Wang’s par on the last hole.
The rest of the field also failed to cash in on the duo’s sputtering windup with R. Jii, also of China, carding a second straight 74 to finish third at 221, while Japan’s Yu Okamura shot a 75 for 224.
The victory augured well for Unson’s buildup for next month’s Southeast Asian Games in Jakarta where she will join forces with Dottie Ardina and Chihiro Ikeda in the country’s bid to retain the team and individual (Ikeda) golds.