Gialon fires course record 66; Ardina ahead with 68

MANILA, Philippines—Zannie Boy Gialon gunned down seven birdies on a record-setting day, finishing with a six-under-par 66 for a commanding six-stroke lead over Rupert Zaragoza in the centrepiece Championship Division of the Samsung Amateur Open.

The 22-year-old, an ex-caddy at Apo Golf in Davao, had four of those birdies in a flawless back nine at the well-manicured Summit Point layout in Lipa to easily break the old record of 69 set by pro Omar Dungca at the club’s 2008 Invitational.

Zaragosa, the reigning Boys’ and Men’s national champ, had three birdies against the same number of bogeys to be tied with Alex Nallos.
Del Monte bet Banny Abano fired a 73 and was tied with Koreans Hwang Kang-yul and Kim Chang-yeon, a stroke ahead of Art Arbole, another fancied bet from Canlubang who never got it going by firing two 37s.

Dottie Ardina fired a 68 to pace the Ladies’ side of the event.

Ardina also had just one bogey on a humid day and led Chihiro Ikeda by two as she shoots for her third title of the year. Lovelyn Guioguio fired a 71 with Sarah Ababa churning out a 72 to remain in the mix.

Ardina and Ikeda, along with alternate Jayvie Agojo, are using the event as part of their build-up for next month’s Southeast Asian Games in Jakarta where the ICTSI-backed National team is the defending champion and Ikeda the reigning individual titlist.

The event sponsors are Mizuno, Custom Clubmakers, Footjoy and Titliest by Empire Golf, Loro, Endress+Hauser, Sweet Photolicious and Inquirer Golf.  Musong R. Castillo