Strong finish nets Gamolo Cangolf lead

MANILA, Philippines - Jelbert Gamolo birdied three of the last seven holes to card a three-under 69 and snare a one-stroke lead over Jobim Carlos and Luis Castro at the start of the 15th Canlubang Amateur Open at Cangolf’s South course in Laguna yesterday.

Gamolo, out to atone for his final round meltdown last year, rallied from two shots down at the front with birdies on Nos. 11 and 15 and got past Carlos and Castro with a closing birdie to set in motion his bid in the 54-hole tournament hosted and conducted by Cangolf in its continuing effort to help develop amateur golf.

Carlos, who has opted to stay in the ranks despite topping the pro circuit’s qualifying school early this year, and jungolfer Castro took charge with 34s after nine holes. But the duo wavered at the back and failed to match Gamolo’s fiery windup and dropped to joint second with 70s.

Riviera’s Ira Alido strung up two 36s to take solo fourth at 72 while defending back-to-back champion Park Min Ung, also of Riviera, recovered from a 39 start with an eagle on No. 11 to salvaged a 73 and tie Southwoods’s Yuto Katsuragawa in the centerpiece Open division.

Royal Northwoods’ Carlos Gatmaytan and Jun John of Riviera turned in identical 76s while Eastridge’s GJ Katigbak and John Uy of Valley Golf carded similar 77s.

Meanwhile, the chase of the ladies division crown begins today with Pauline Del Rosario gunning for a repeat of her feat last year against her teammates in The Country Club stable along with the country’s leading amateurs, including Yuka Saso, Kayla Nocum, Lois Kaye Go, Sam Bruce and Annika Cedo.

Other titles to be disputed over 36 holes are the Classes A (11-and-below), B (12-18) and C (19-and-above).

Gamolo birdied No. 3 but dropped two strokes on the par-4 No. 5 before birdying No. 7 to trail Carlos, who strung up four straight birdies from No. 4 against bogeys on Nos. 1 and 8, and Castro, who birdied Nos. 2, 3 and 9 to negate a bogey on No. 7, by two at the turn.

But the Del Monte ace toughened up at the back and came through with superb iron shots to set up birdie chances from close range while Carlos had a one-birdie, one-bogey stint at the back and Castro mixed two birdies with the same number of bogeys in the last nine holes to reel back.