LUIS Castro fired a two-under 70 for a one-stroke lead over Jobim Carlos, while Princess Superal had a solid 72 to stand two shots clear in the women’s side in the first round of the 21st W Express RVF Cup Amateur Golf Championship on Tuesday at Canlubang Golf’s North Course.
Castro, playing out of Aguinaldo, birdied three of the last five holes in an impressive fightback from a triple-bogey mishap on No. 3 to lead reigning national stroke play champion Carlos.
The pro-bound Carlos settled for three birdies against two bogeys for nines of 36-35.
Carl Corpus birdied Nos. 10 and 11 and salvaged a 72 to match Japan’s Yuto Katsuragawa and Justin Quiban.
Carlo Villaroman had three birdies against a bogey at the back for a 73 and joint sixth with Korea’s Jun John.
Jelbert Gamolo grabbed a share of opening day spotlight when he aced the 172-yard No. 4 using a 6-iron Ping i20 and Titleist ball en route to a 74. It was the 18-year-old Gamolo’s second hole-in-one after hitting an ace at Del Monte Golf Club in 2009.
Zaragosa struggled with a new set of irons, fumbling with an 82 on a course he calls home.
Superal posted a two-shot lead over reigning national amateur stroke play titlist Harmie Constantino.
Yuka Saso shot a 75, whil Bernice Olivarez-Ilas had a 76, Nicole Abelar fired a 77, and Sofia Legaspi and Rivani Sihotang of Indonesia had identical 78s in the tournament sponsored by W Express and held in honor of the late golf patron Rod Feliciano, who also served as president of the organizing National Golf Association of the Philippines.
Cebu’s Junie Gabasa and TCC bets Kyla Nocum and Sam Martirez turned in similar 79s in the event backed by the MVP Sports Foundation, Smart, PLDT and Metro Pacific Investment Corp. and Cangolf and held as part of the PLDT Group National Amateur Golf Tour.
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