Kim, Alido dispute PH Am junior match play crown

KOREAN Tom Kim will have Ira Alido standing in the way of a sweep of the Philippine Amateur junior titles after the top two seeds Friday barged into the finals of the match play championship at Alabang Golf Club.

Kim, the 16-year-old who ruled the stroke play tournament less than a month ago, and the No. 2 Alido bundled out their Final Four foes with uncanny ease even as Hwang Min-jeong, also a South Korean, and Yuka Saso set up an interesting duel for the girls’ title.

So dialed-in was Kim that he overpowered the seasoned Ryan Monsalve, 6 and 5, in the semifinals. Kim blasted Tyler Po, 5 and 4, in the morning.

It was also a breeze for Alido as he shot down Aniceto Mandanas, 5 and 4—a victory that came hours after he gutted out a 2-and-1 decision of Luis Castro in the quarterfinals.

The top-seeded Saso, a member of the Philippine team that finished third in the Sirikit Cup last week, wasn’t taken past the 13th hole by Jona Magcalayo in the quarterfinals and by Kristine Torralba in the semifinals, posting 5-and-4 wins.

Hwang, meanwhile, went through the proverbial tightrope in the semifinals against last year’s champion, Harmie Constantino, prevailing only after 19 holes.

Hwang ripped Ashia Nocum in the quarterfinals, 4 and 3.

Both finals are over 36 holes.

Mikaela Arroyo tripped Sunshine Zhang, 2 and 1, to top the 13-and-under class for girls, with Perry Bucay routing David Guangko, 6 and 5, and Francis Lanuza clipping Zachary Castro, 2 and 1, to arrange a duel for the boys’ 13-and-below title. Musong R. Castillo