Youngest Pinay sets pace in Junior World; Singson 5 adrift

MANILA, Philippines – Kamilia del Mundo grabbed the Junior World spotlight when she surged to a three-stroke lead in girls’ 6-under division with a three-under 62. Meanwhile, while Mafy Singson bucked an early stumble with three birdies for a two-under 70 but trailed a hot-starting Kara Kaneshiro by five at the start of the Junior World Championships in San Diego, California Tuesday (Wednesday, Manila time).

Del Mundo took command with a four-birdie, two-bogey card at the frontside of the par-65 Singing Hills-Pine Glen course then hit back-to-back birdies from No. 14 and could’ve hiked her lead to four if not for a bogey on No. 17.

But her 34-28 round proved enough to put her on top of the leaderboard and emerge as the top performer for the Philippine side — save for Singson and ICTSI teammate Arnie Taguines — that groped for form in other age-group categories.

Arizona’s Aviana Vilar matched par 65 to trail del Mundo by three with two rounds left in the youngest class while Zizi Townsend and fellow Californian Amelia Fan and Japanese Emi Minami posted identical 67s.

Singson, meanwhile, fumbled with a bogey on the second hole of the Torrey Pines’ South course but found her rhythm and range in time, birdying Nos. 4 and 8 then gaining another stroke on the 13th to join 11 others at 10th place in the girls’ 15-18 division of the annual championship.

Kaneshiro, from Hawaii, blitzed the backside with four birdies and added five more at the front to negate her two bogeys for a fiery 65 and a three-shot lead over Taiwan’s Vivian Chen, Aussie Amie Phobubpa and Japanese Ema Narita, who all carded 68s.

Singson missed gaining a stroke on any of the four par-5s but the ICTSI-backed ace, who won the Jax Beach Junior Open in Florida last month, hopes to hit at least one in the second to boost her drive in the 72-hole championship featuring the world’s leading and rising junior players.

Singson’s performance likewise proved to be the best among the more than 30 Filipinos vying in various age-group divisions with Taguines, whose campaign is also supported by the world’s leading port operator, bouncing back from a two-bogey, one-birdie card in the frontside with two backside birdies for a 71 and a share of 22nd place, also in the centerpiece category.

The two other Pinay bets — Sunshine Zhang and Anya Cedo — skied to a 78 and 79, respectively, while Thai favorite Thitikarn Thapasit limped with a birdie-less 75 to tumble to joint 75th in a field of 160.

Elsewhere, Miguel Ilas IV shot a 74 for joint 35th with compatriot Sean Granada in boys’ 15-18 play paced by Idaho’s Trevor Garus, who fired a 67 for a one-stroke lead over Japanese Taishi Moto and Rylan Johnson of Arizona, who both carded 68s.

Jet Hernandez, however, groped for a 78 and Bobe Salahog hobbled with an 81.

Reese Ng struggled with a two-over 75 for a share of 17th in girls’ 13-14 class, six strokes behind California’s Gianna Singh, who shot a 69 for a one-stroke lead over Japan’s Rinka Nakayama and Arianna Lau of Hong Kong, who matched 70s, while Gabie Rosca made a 78 for joint 36th and Celine Abalos and Dominique Gotiong bombed out with an 84 and a 91, respectively.

Tristan Padilla turned in a two-over 73 in boys’ 13-14 for joint 38th, eight strokes off Germany’s Ethan Hoffmann, who sizzled with a 65 to wrest a one-shot lead over Shawn Nawata of California and Japanese Koshin Nagasaki in the 54-hole tournament.

Luis Ballesteros carded a 74 for a share of 56th and Patrick Tambalque stood a stroke farther back at 75.

In girls’ 11-12 play, Tashi Balangauan limped with a 77 for a share of 30th, eight shots behind Canadian Clairey Lin, who fired a 69 for a one-shot lead over five others, with Nicole Gan carding an 83 and Lois Laine Go posting a 91.

Alex Crisostomo also wavered with a 77 in boys’ `11-12 group led by Michigan’s Nemo Tsai’s 63 with Geoffrey Tan scoring a 79, Emilio Hernandez limping with an 80 and Nicholas Ng fumbling with an 81.

Phoenix Manhit skied to a 79 and Ralph Batican and Jacobo Gomez each made an 84 and Michael Torres hobbled with a 104 in boys’ 9-10 division led by Inho Park of California, who carded a 67, while Aerin Chan shot a 90 and Margaux Namoco scored a 91 in the girls’ side paced by Hong Kong’s Sabrina Wong’s 65.