Carlos cruises to 7-stroke win

Harmie Constantino (left) and Jobim Carlos hold their trophies after completing a pair of dominant victories in the Philippine Amateur (Stroke Play) Open Golf Championship at Eagle Ridge’s Aoki course. INQUIRER GOLF

JOBIM Carlos closed with a three-over-par 75 Friday but still coasted to a seven-stroke victory over Gen Nagai, winning the NGAP Philippine Amateur Stroke Play championship for the second straight year at Eagle Ridge’s Aoki course.

With his putting off, Carlos failed to turn in the day’s best round for the first time in the 72-hole event with Nagai, a Japanese national, wresting solo second after a 72.

Still, no one could stop the 21-year-old Carlos—who tallied 282 after earlier rounds of 73, 68 and 66—from keeping the national championship and making sure that he gets a perfect going-away present as he turns pro next month.

“I had difficulty reading the greens,” said Carlos, who started the day 10 shots clear of Nagai. “Basically, my putting was off.”

Carlos will play on the local pro tour right after suiting up for the final time for Canlubang in the PAL Interclub, set late next month at the Mimosa and Fontana courses in Clark Field, Pampanga.

Carlos also won, in partnership with Iñigo Raymundo, the NGAP National Doubles last month at Camp Aguinaldo and the individual title in the Fil-Am in Baguio last November.

South Korean expatriate Jang Jun-ha fired a 73 and claimed third with 293 while Aidric Chan carded a 73 for 298.

Harmie Constantino matched par and won the women’s division by a whopping eight strokes over Lee Ji-hyeon of South Korea with a 283 total.

Fil-Japanese Yuka Saso was third with a 293 after a 74, with Korean Hwang Min-jeong finishing fourth at 297 after a 77.