Abdon, Gandiongco set PH Am semifinal duel

TRECE MARTIREZ, Cavite—Top-ranked Jik-Jik Abdon moved within another win of a return trip to the Philippine Amateur Closed golf championships final match yesterday after posting two comfortable wins at challenging Sherwood Hills here.

The long-hitting 20-year-old, a business management major at Southville Foreign University, first showed Mel Cubillo the door, 3&2, before bundling out obscure Rene Menor, 4&3 in the afternoon.

Those victories set up Abdon for a return match with the dangerous Gio Gandiongco, the Cebu native who also posted a pair of authoritative wins in the event serving as the third leg of the Globe-NGAP circuit.

Gandiongco, who helped power Cebu Country Club to its first-ever PAL Interclub title in Davao last February, hardly broke up a sweat in ousting Ramir Roque, 6&5, before being pushed to the limit in a 1-up victory over Bacolod’s Chepe Dulay.

Jonar Austria, the No. 2 men’s seed, also made it to the quarterfinals after a 3&1 victory over Don Petil in the morning and a hard-earned 1-up win over the veteran, Lawrence Celestino.

Andres Saldaña, one of the more exciting talents to come out of the junior ranks, also took a seat in the semifinals and will clash with Austria after 1-up victory over Joey Huerva that he followed up with a 3&2 triumph over Reymon Jaraulla.

“It will be a very interesting match (today),” Abdon, who ousted Gandiongco also in the Final Four last year, told the Inquirer. “But you can never really assess your chances in match play.

“A lot of things can happen,” concluded Abdon, who lost, 3&2 in last year’s final to the pint-sized Rupert Zaragosa.

Abdon actually lost the opening hole against Menor, but won the third, the sixth and three straight from the ninth to take a 4-up lead that his foe never came close to overhauling the rest of the way.

Women’s top seed Dottie Ardina also breezed through her opening match against Eva Miñoza, 4&2 to forge an interesting showdown with ICTSI teammate Lovelyn Guioguio in the event also backed by Pancake House, Golf Depot, Suntrust Properties Inc., Airphil Express, Titleist Empire Golf and official hotel Microtel Suites.

Guioguio, who won the stroke play event of the PH Am last January, nipped Rainstar Roque in the second extra hole to salvage a spot in the semis, while Sunshine Baraquiel and Jayvie Agojo fashioned out a pair of easy wins to seal their places in the other half of the draw.

No. 2 Baraquiel ran was unchallenged in a 7&6 win over Jan Punzalan, while the comebacking Agojo, seeded third, defeated Apple Fudolin, 4&2.