Carl Corpus put on a late charge to subdue Aniceto Mandanas while Harmie Constantino cashed in on Mikha Fortuna’s late meltdown in sweltering heat as they shared top honors in the Philippine Amateur Open Match Play Golf Championships at the Orchard Golf and Country Club in Dasmariñas, Cavite yesterday.
Corpus, 16, rallied from three holes down after 18 holes and broke away from an all-square match with a par-par-birdie charge from the 32nd hole to hack out a 3&2 victory.
Constantino on the other hand turned what had been a tight duel into a runaway triumph by winning five straight holes from No. 29 for a 5&3 romp.
“I was so determined to win. When I took the first two holes in the afternoon, I knew I got the momentum and the pressure was on him,” said Corpus, referring to his par-birdie start on their second trip on the Players’ course after falling by three in the morning duel.
While Corpus needed to fight back to win, Constantino blew a 2-up lead after 18 holes but surged ahead again with pars on Nos. 29 and 30 then went 3-up with a birdie on the next. She bogeyed the next two but took the holes just the same as Fortuna holed out with double bogeys to claim the women’s diadem in the week-long event organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.
