Teen Pinay wins top-tier Penang Amateur Open golf

MANILA, Philippines - The country found another budding talent in golf after 14-year-old Sarah Ababa convincingly won the tough Penang Amateur Open Sunday in Malaysia. Ababa carded a four-under 68 and a two-under 70 for a 138 total to win the 36-hole tournament by 12 strokes over Ainil Abubakar, Malaysia's no.1 player. Among Ababa's victims were reigning RP national champion Anya Tanpinco and former RP Ladies Open winner Carmelette Villaroman. Abubakar, a bronze medallist in the 2007 Southeast Asian Games, had a 73 in the first round but came up with a 77 in the next to drop in her bid. Ababa, a prized recruit by national coach Bong Lopez, took a fast road en route to the Penang crown. She joined the ICTSI golf program in 2006, was a San Diego junior worlds veteran the last two seasons, and a leg winner in the Samsung tourney at Eagle Ridge in Cavite. Lopez said Ababa's win was just the tip of the iceberg. "[Ababa] has improved a lot," Lopez, also currently the coach of LPGA campaigner Jennifer Rosales, said. "She's determined to excel and I think given a couple more years, she's ready to go places." - GMANews.TV