PRESS RELEASE
Top seed Tom Kim and No. 2 Ira Alido fashioned out victories in emphatic fashions to roll into the quarterfinal round of the 2016 Philippine Junior Amateur Match Play Golf Championship at the Alabang Country Club in Muntinlupa Thursday.
Kim, who dominated the 36-hole stroke play elims, overpowered Nathan Kawpeng, 7&6, to arrange a Last 8 duel with No. 9 Cebuano Peter Tyler Po, who scored two wins in the day, including a 3&1 romp over Jaime Oposa and a 3&2 triumph over Dan Emilio Cruz.
Alido, who like the Korean ace drew a bye in the first round of the knockout phase of the event sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation, PLDT, Smart, Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and the Philippine Sports Commission, trampled Pierre Ticzon, 7&5, to seal a quarters faceoff with seventh ranked Luis Castro, who whipped Alfonse Lazaro, 7&6, in the morning play and nipped Carlo Villaroman, 1-up, in their afternoon duel.
No. 13 John Jun produced the day’s shocker by booting out fourth seed Liam Cully, 1-up, as he set up a clash with No. 12 Ryan Monsalve, who trounced Aldo Barro, 4&3, in the morning, then blasted Jolo Magcalayo, 5&4, in the Last 16.
Third seed Aniceto Mandanas also rolled into the quarters in the lower draw, beating Joaquin Gomez, 2-up, for a clash with No. 11 Adrian Romero, who crushed Lloyd Bantug, 6&5, earlier then posted the day’s upset with a 4&3 romp over sixth seed Marc Corrales.
In girls’ play of the annual tournament held as part of the PLDT Group National Amateur Golf Tour, Jona Magcalayo eased out Annika Guangko, 3&2, to advance against top seed Yuka Saso, who drew a bye, while Koh Eun A routed Yun Ji Ang, 6&5, to set a up quarters clash with No. 2 and defending champion Harmie Constantino.
The survivors play another two rounds today with the quarters in the morning and the semis in the afternoon with the winners in both categories clashing for the championship tomorrow, both 36-hole duels.
In special division for boys’ 13-and-below, Zachary Castro dominated Jason Jaudian, 7&6, while Andrew Lanuza nipped Santino Pineda, 1-up, to dispute the final berth while David Guango upended Miguel Ilas, 2&1, to advance to the semis against top seed Perry Bucay, who drew a bye.
Sunshine Zhang and Mikaela Arroyo, who trounced Laurea Duque, 4&3, will clash for the girls’ 13-and-below crown in the event organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.
