Cebu golf hotshot Weiwei Gao struggled during the second day of competition in the Philippine Amateur (Stroke Play) Open Golf Championship as he carded a 74 yesterday at the Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club in Cavite.
Gao, an ace from Alta Vista Golf and Country Club, fell to joint fifth with a two-day total of 149, eight strokes behind the pro-bound Jobim Carlos who sizzled at the halfway point of this elite competition and fired in a four-under 68 and a total of 149.
Carlos, who needed to pounce on Ira Alido’s late-hole mishap to wrest a one-stroke lead on a 73 in the opener of the 72-hole championship Tuesday, leaned on his day-long brilliance this time to take full control of the big international field at 141 for a six-stroke lead over Jang Jun Ha and Alido.
The Korean hit two late birdies to card a 71 while Alido also needed to birdie the par-5 16th to save a 73 for 147s even as the Cebu Country Club’s Gen Nagai matched par 72 for a 148 and another Korean Jang Yu Bin also turned in an even par round for a 149 and a share of fifth with Gao.
Despite the absence of the dreaded wind, former champion Rupert Zaragosa continued to struggle, hobbling for a 74 and falling farther behind at 151 heading to the last 36 holes of the country’s premier amateur championship serving as the kickoff leg of the PLDT Group National Amateur Golf Tour.
The former University of San Francisco stalwart, set to join the pro ranks next month, gunned down six birdies from as far as 30 feet on No. 18 while finishing with two tap-ins on Nos. 9 and 16 and saving pars thrice.
On the distaff side, Harmie Constantino actually bettered Carlos’ output from the tees, finishing with seven birdies against two bogeys for a 67 that likewise put her six strokes away from Fil-Japanese Yuka Saso at 140.
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