Thai teen, Saso dominate

Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana put on the finishing touches to a brilliant weekend yesterday, shooting a one-under-par 71 to win the Philippine Amateur Open golf championship by an astounding seven shots over South Korea’s Joo Hyung-kim at Riviera’s Couples course in Silang, Cavite.

The 18-year-old turned what was expected to be a final round shootout with Joo and Japan’s Yuto Katsuragawa into a walk in the park, playing steady under ideal conditions to bag the biggest win of his young career with a 283 tally.
Joo snatched runner-up honors with a 290 after a 70.
Katsuragawa, the fancied bet playing out of PAL Interclub champion Manila Southwoods, faltered for the second straight day and closed out with a 77.

The reedy Japanese led after the first two rounds and entered the third on Saturday holding a five-shot lead over Kaewkanjana only to turn in a 75 and play the final 36 holes at a combined eight-over.

Yuka Saso, meanwhile, completed a wire-to-wire demolition of the women’s field with a similar 71 for 279 and a nine-shot victory over Hee Jee-kim of South Korea.

The 16-year-old Saso, the reigning Junior World champion, cracked par in all four rounds, underscoring the form that made her the pre-event favorite to total 279 and leave everyone dumbfounded.

Harmie Constantino, last year’s champion, was never in it in the face of Saso’s unrelenting performance, closing out with a 72 to finish a badly beaten third at 290.

Thailand’s Pajaree Anannarukarn fired a 73 for 292, with Malaysia’s Nur Durriyah Damian shooting a 74 for 296.

No Filipino contended for the men’s championship, with many-time champion Rupert Zaragosa shooting himself in the foot in the first two rounds with efforts of 80 and 78.

Aniceto Mandanas went on to become the best Filipino finisher in the centerpiece event at 294 after a 73, with Carl Corpus, Katsuragawa’s partner in winning the National Doubles late last month, firing a 74 for 296.