Teeners Zaragosa, Park set up title duel in Philippine Match Play Championship

RUPERT Zaragosa, 16, and 14-year-old Korean Park Min-ung saw off two foes on Thursday to arrange a title clash in the Philippine Amateur Match Play championship presented by the MVP Sports Foundation at The Orchard’s Palmer layout in Dasmariñas, Cavite.

The 16-year-old Zaragosa secured a spot in the final after bundling out Japan’s Gen Nagai, 2&1, before Park, the junior amateur titlist two years ago, ripped Korean Kim Tae-woo, 7&6.

Daniela Uy and Filipino-Japanese Yuka Saso arranged a title clash in the women’s division.

Uy took out Chanelle Avaricio, 4&2, while Saso, a member of the ICTSI golf squad, showed reigning junior am titlist Bianca Pagdanganan the door after a 4&3 victory.

The pint-sized Zaragosa first won in 2011 at Canlubang against John Kier Abdon, now a pro, before nipping Nagai again last year.

Park first manhandled the seasoned King Sethmeier, an Orchard member, 7&6, before returning in the afternoon to rip Kim, who had beaten former pro Eddie Bagtas, 2&1.

“It will be an interesting match because Park is so good,” Zaragosa said. “But I will just enjoy the chance to play for another national title again. Though it is match play, I will still be up against myself, basically.”

Nagai, who has been based in Cebu for the last 13 years, won 1-up over Antonio Asistio in the quarterfinals.

But the Japanese shotmaker fell behind early, 3-down after the first nine holes and won just one hole the entire match, the 14th with a birdie. Zaragosa wrapped it all up with a matching par on the 17th in the PLDT Group Amateur Tour event backed by Pancake House, Golf Depot and Pacsports.