Go takes control; Zaragosa 1 adrift

KUALA LUMPUR – Lois Kaye Go went on a birdie-binge at the backside to fire a five-under 66 and wrest a three-stroke lead over Malaysian Nur Durriyah and Thai P. Thitapa at the start of the golf competitions of the 29th SEA Games at the Mines Resort and Golf Club in Serdang here yesterday.

Go rattled off four straight birdies from No. 12 to anchor her near-flawless 35-31 card that put her on top of the women’s field, three ahead of the veteran Durriyah and Thitapa in a solid start that sparked hopes for Team Phl’s drive to duplicate its sweep of the individual and team golds in the 2013 SEAG in Myanmar.

Harmie Constantino carded  74 while Junia Gabasa hobbled with a 75.

Go, toughened up by her stints in the US Girls’ Juniors and the US Women’s Amateur where she reached the knockout stage, birdied two of the first eight holes but stumbled with a bogey on the ninth before running off birdies on Nos. 12, 13, 14 and 15.

Rupert Zaragosa likewise put himself in early contention in the men’s individual play as he came away with a seven-under 64 to trail Thai N. Kammalas by one.

Zaragosa actually took charge with a 30 start, spiked by five birdies from No. 4 but he slowed down at the back with with a 34.