26th SEA Games: Sputtering finish for Philippine golfers

BEKASI, West Java—Pint-sized Rupert Zaragosa provided the only bright spot for Team Philippines, matching par 72 to tie for fourth spot in individual play of the 26th Southeast Asian Games golf championship.

The 5-foot 15-year-old, the reigning Men’s and Boys’ champion back home, trailed players from Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand by two strokes while pacing his team to a 223 total, nine strokes off the hosts at the New Course of the Jagorawi Country Club here.

Art Arbole and Jobim Carlos had better rounds than Zaragosa going into the last three holes but they all threw away a total of eight shots, costing the Philippines a chance to finish second for the day.

Arbole, who came into his last three holes nursing a one-under card, bogeyed Nos. 16 and 18 in between a quadruple bogey 9 on the 17th for a 77.

“We would have been second right there,” team head Tommy Manotoc said.

Carlos, still fighting jetlag after arriving from San Francisco two days ago, double bogeyed the 16th for a 74, four off the lead jointly held by Malaysian Low Khai Jei, Thailand’s Natipong Srithong and Indonesian George G. Rinaldi Adiyandono and Ian Andrew both carded 72s to complete the Indonesians’ 214.

Poom Saksansin fired a 73 and Rattanon Wannasric shot a 75 to cap the Thais’ 218.
Malaysia was in third at 222.

Arbole’s nine on the 17th was a crucial blow for the Philippines because he counted last. Former PH Am champion Clyde Mondilla struggled to an 82 which was discarded.

Singapore, the defending champion, was also a big letdown, with the 75 of burly Choo Tze Hwang the best for the squad.