HONG KONG – Young Annyka Cayabyab rallied with a 69 and snatched third place in the Hong Kong Ladies Open Amateur Championship won by Taiwanese Hou Yu-sang in come-from-behind fashion here late Friday.
Cayabyab, a four-time Veritas world junior titlist, fought back from earlier rounds of 74 and 72 with a strong finish, her three-under card and a 215 placing her behind Hou (210) and another Taiwanese Lin Jie-en (213) in the 54-hole championship at the up-and-down Hong Kong Golf Club’s New Course in Fanling.
Erstwhile Filipina contender Bernice Olivarez-Ilas wavered at the finish again and wound up fourth at 216 after a 71. The Country Club mainstay blew a three-under card with two holes to go as she three-putted No. 17 and bogeyed the last hole on an errant approach.
But Hou dominated the last 18 holes as she bounced back from a three-over 75 in the second round with a solid eight-under 64 for a six-under 210 to romp off with a three-stroke victory over Lin, who shot a 69 for a 213.
“I gave it my best but the Taiwanese girl (Hou) played so well,” said the 15-year-old Olivarez-Ilas, who also bogeyed the last hole in the second round and fell one stroke off the pace.
Another TCC ace Sofia Chabon carded a 70 and ended up seventh at 218 behind the 217s of local star Isabella Leung and Huang Yu-ping of Taiwan, who closed out with similar 71s.