Faldo golf breakdown a learning experience for Sumampong

Shenzhen, China — It was mostly a forgettable last two days at the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final for rising Filipino amateur Brent Sumampong but the experience gained here will surely give him more confidence in the upcoming international tournaments. Counting his opening two-under-par 70, Sumampong recorded an 11-over 85 a day after he scored a 10-over 84 for a three-day total 239 and 43rd place Friday at the Faldo course of Mission Golf and Country Club where Japan’s Masamichi Ito won a playoff duel with Chinese Taipei’s Hsieh Chi-hsien.

With Sumampong failing to maintain good shots until the end, Jobim Carlos emerged as the best RP finisher at 30th with a 235 after a two-over 74 although he was bracketed in the boys’ 18-and-under division. Bino dela Paz, entered in the 16-and-under division, submitted an eight-over 80 for 237 (36th) while lone Filipina Irina Gabasa of Cebu had a closing three-over 75 for 238 (38th) in a field of 75 participants representing 18 nations. “It’s not exactly the way I wanted to finish. It was exciting, though, that I was able to play with best amateurs of the world," said the 19-year-old Sumampong, who shared the lead Wednesday in the first day in the boys’ 21-and-under division. The knowledge obtained at the Faldo Series will add on to Sumampong’s growing thirst for a major championship, according to his coach Bong Lopez, who has been at the helm of the country’s men’s and women’s national teams in the last four years. “The kid needs a little refinement to handle pressure. Talent-wise, he is much capable as anybody else," said Lopez, whose multi-titled wards include former amateur champions Ferdie Aunzo, Anthony Fernando, Jay Bayron, Rufino Bayron and Tonton Asistio II. Ito, meanwhile, became the first Japanese to win the Faldo Series Asia. He produced a three-under-par 69 to catch Hsieh, who had a 74, at the top at the end of regulation. The 14-year-old from Kanagawa started the day five shots adrift of Hsieh but he made up all but one of them with a fine one-under-par outward nine of 35 and then came home in two-under-par 34 to tie with Hsieh on two-under-par 214. On the first hole of the sudden death at the 486-yard, par-five No. 18, Ito delivered a crisp 7-wood second shot from about 200 yards into the center of the green and then calmly stroked two putts for a winning birdie to beat Hsieh in the thrilling finale. It was Masamichi’s first victory outside his native country and means that he will now receive an invitation to both the Faldo Series European Grand Final set at the Lough Erne Resort in Northern Ireland, on September 21-23, and to a major event on this year’s Asian Tour. The Girls’ top prize went to Thailand’s Thidapa Suwannapura, a member of the silver-medal team in the last Southeast Asian Games who put together rounds of 72, 74 and 74 to lead from start to finish and claim a two-shot victory over Chinese Taipei’s Liu Yi Chen. England’s Holly Clyburn, the reigning English and French Under-18 champion, posted a one-over-par closing round of 73 to share third place with Chinese Taipei’s Chien Pei Yun on 10-over-par 226. – Adrian Flores, GMANews.TV