Golf: Top seeds Ardina, Abdon enter division finals of PHL Amateur Closed

Dottie Ardina and John Kier Abdon, the top seeds of the of the match play phase in the girls' and men's divisions, battle separate foes in the final round of the Philippine Amateur Closed Championship held at the Sherwood Hills Golf Club in Trece Martirez, Cavite.  

Ardina nipped Lovelyn Guioguio, 3&2, to barge into the final of the third leg of the National Golf Association of the Philippines (NGAP) circuit and stay on track for a third crown in the last two months.  

The 18-year-old Ardina already clinched the titles in the WWW Express-DHL Amateur at the Canlubang Golf Club and the RSGC AmBank Junior Open in Malaysia.  

Jayvie Agojo earned the right of facing Ardina after a 3&1 win over Sunshine Baraquiel. "It will be fun to watch Ardina and Agojo. They are about even, in talent and skill, although the former seems to be a favorite because of her recent wins," said Sherwood Hills general manager Raymund Bunquin.

 

Abdon, meanwhile, outlasted Cebuano Gio Gandionco, 2&1, as he won three straight holes in the first nine to set the tone for the win. 

The Manila Southwoods mainstay will be paired with Andres Saldana in the 18-hole showdown at the Sherwood Hills' glass-like slippery green of the par-71 Jack Nicklaus signature course.  

Top ranked Lino Magpantay advanced to the finals of the seniors division with a 2&1 victory over Caloy Coscolluela while Kinitchi Kitamura took the other championship seat with a 5&4 romp over Jose Vilchez.

Fifth ranked Jingy Tuazon stunned top seed Dennis Gonzales with a surprise 4&3 win in the mid-amateur division. He'll be up against Bunquin, who defeated Rodel Mangulabnan, 1-up. — Adrian Flores/JVP, GMA News