Fiery Gialon, Guioguio rule Samsung Amateur Open
LIPA CITY, Batangas, Philippines—Zannie Boy Gialon, a talent ripe for the pro ranks, closed out with a one-under-par 71 Saturday to rule the Samsung Amateur Open’s centerpiece championship division by a whopping eight shots at The Summit in Lipa City.
The 22-year-old Gialon actually put a lock on the championship in the first round on Friday with a record-setting 66 and just went through the motions in the final round for a 137 tally in one of the biggest victories of his young career.
Equally impressive was Lovelyn Guioguio’s rally from a three-stroke deficit overnight to capture the ladies’ crown over Dottie Ardina on the second playoff hole.
Article continues after this advertisementThe pocket-sized Guioguio carded a final-round 70 to catch Ardina at the end of regulation before holing a 10-foot putt for birdie on the second extra hole to cap her victory.
Ardina, who earlier missed a 14-foot putt birdie putt of her own, shot a 73 in the final round after opening with a 68 Friday.
Gialon’s margin of victory over Del Monte caddy Banny Abano and Korean expatriate Kim Chang-yeon, who both closed with a 72, was the biggest in the event’s young history.
Article continues after this advertisementReigning Boys and Men’s Amateur champ Rupert Zaragosa, six down at the start of the final round, just couldn’t get going, carding a 75 to finish 10 shots off the pace at 147, in a tie with unknown RJ Tallud, who had a 73.
Alex Nallos, another ICTSI-TCC bet, carded a 74 and shared fourth place with Yoon Sung-hwan, who had a 72, for 146, while Koreans Hwang Kang-youl and Moon Seung-ryul fired identical 75s for 148 and 149, respectively.
Sarah Ababa actually tied Guioguio at one-under with a stirring four-birdie string from No. 10 but dropped back as Guioguio hit back-to-back birdies from No. 15.
Hobbled by a 39 at the front, Ababa wound up with a 71 and a 143 total for third while Chihiro Ikeda, two behind Ardina at the start of the round, tumbled out of contention on the front nine (40) for a 75 and fourth spot at 145.
The event was sponsored by Airphil Express, Custom Clubmakers, Footjoy and Titliest by Empire Golf, Loro, Endress+Hauser, Sweet Photolicious, Torch Resto Bar, Bluemansion Enterprise, GlucosCare, Omnisource International, Business Mirror and Inquirer Golf.
