Jahns guts out 71 to keep lead; teen amateur An is ladies champ

Yunju An prevails pulling away. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Under siege the whole of the third round on Friday, Keanu Jahns drained two straight birdies from No. 16 to rescue a level-par 71 and cling to a two-shot lead heading into the final 18 holes of the ICTSI Forest Hills Classic in Antipolo.

Still in search of a breakthrough pro win, the Filipino-German encountered real trouble for the first time this week at the well-manicured Nicklaus layout only to pick up those two shots that will give him some breathing room when the pressure will be at its greatest on Saturday.

After a 64 and 67 in the first two rounds where he had a combined two bogeys, Jahns will take a 202 aggregate and a slim advantage over Randy Garalde, possibly the most dangerous man in the field because of knowledge of the course he calls home.

Meanwhile, 13-year-old amateur Yunju An of South Korea ruled the 54-hole ladies side with ease, with a closing 73 giving her a seven-shot win over Gretchen Villacencio, who took home a chunk of the P1-million purse.

Counting rounds of 73 and 69, An tallied 210, with Sarah Ababa and Miya Legaspi shooting 71 and 73, respectively, to finish a stroke behind Villacencio.

Garalde has cracked par all three days, shooting a 68 in the third round, even as Rupert Zaragosa also made a move by firing a 66 to be just three shots off the pace.

“The key was staying composed,” the 29-year-old Jahns, who signed for a double bogey 6 at No. 11 and two more bogeys, said, even as he rued the slow greens which helped him gun down two eagles in the second round.

“I struggled with the slow greens (today) and needed time to adjust,” he said. “I had good lines on several birdie and par opportunities, but the pace was just off. It’s all about adjusting for the final round.”

Sean Ramos also carved out a 66 to stay mathematically in the hunt at 207, with Ozeki Kakeru of Japan another shot back after a 67.

Eric Gallardo, who was just one shot behind Jahns after the first round, kept falling after a 73, now seven shots back like South Korea’s Minwook Gwon, who shot a 68, and Angelo Que, the former Philippine Open champ who recorded a 70.