Foreigners bare might in international junior tilt

Foreign players dominated the locals in the Philippine Junior Golf Federation-organized 12th Philippine International Junior Golf Championships Wednesday at the Ayala Greenfield Golf and Leisure Club in Calamba, Laguna.

Korean Nam Yong-woo and Taiwanese Oh Tea-gun and Tzu Hsuan-ting were the top performers amide the rains beating down the wind-swept layout.

Woo carded a 71 to pace Singaporeans Nicklaus Chiam (76) and Chang Yo Chen (77) in boys Class A (15-17 age group); Gun submitted a 77 against the 79 of Gen Nagai (79) and Lanz Uy (80) of the Philippines in boys Class B (13-14); Ting scored an 80 against Taiwan’s Cheng Yang Tsai (81) and Shang Tse Lin (88) in boys Class C (11-12).

“We expect more rains and winds tomorrow, and better performances,” said tournament director Gerard Cantada, himself a former world junior champion.

Fifteen players from South Korea, seven from Taiwan, five from Singapore, four from Indonesia, two from Malaysia and one from Thailand are seeing action in the event sponsored by lawyer Gilberto M. Duavit, lawyer Reginaldo Oben and sportsman Lucio “Bong” Tan. Maynilad serves as the official drinking water provider while Puyat Steel and Philippine Flour Mill also chipped in.

The foreign contingents are billeted at the well-equipped Cantada Sports Center in Taguig City.

Events on tap are the 10-under, 11-12, 13-14, 15-17 and 18-21 boys and 12-under, 13-17 and 18-21 girls age brackets.