Lubao, Pampanga—Former Callaway world junior boys’ 11 to 12 years division champion Rupert “Dodong” Zaragosa made the country proud with a four-under par 68—his best in three days—in the 2018 FISU World University Golf Championship at the Pradera Verde Golf and Country Club here Friday.
Zaragosa birdied four holes—two on each nines—in what could be his finest round in the 72-hole championships organized by the Federation of School Sports Association of the Philippines and sanctioned by the International Sports University Federation.
His birdie binge on a hot Friday afternoon at the par-72 course located in this historic town in Pampanga included one in the 506-meter par-5 third hole, the longest.
Zaragosa, who is best remembered for winning the boys’ 11-12 years division in the 43rd Callaway Junior World golf championship in San Diego, California in July 2010, had a three-day score of one-over par 217.
The 5’2” student of Lyceum of the Philippines had earlier rounds of 77 and 72.
Taipei Universiade campaigner Jonas Christian Magcalayo carded a two-over 74 marred by a disastrous double bogey on the ninth hole, while Lanz William Uy shot a 74 spiked by two birdies and four bogeys.
Magcalayo, the 22-year-old engineering student of Mapua, missed a better score when he double-bogeyed the 600-meter, par-5 No. 9, the same hole he birdied in the first two rounds.
Together with rounds of 71 and 75, Magcalayo had a five-over score of 221.
Uy, the 19-year-old pride of Technological University of the Philippines, had his best score of 74 after struggling with 76 and 77. He had 227.
Henry Tschopp of Switzerland continued to show the way with a third-day score of 69 and eight-under par 208
Tschopp, an incoming freshman student at the Western Texas College, is now three shots ahead of Yuto Katsugawara of Japan and Jaehun Choi of South Korea.
Katsugawara submitted the day’s best score of five-under 67, while Choi fired a 68 for second place with 211
Daiki Imano and Taisei Shimizu of Japan shared fouth to fifth places with 212 following identical rounds of 72.
In the women’s division, Dasom Ma of South Korea fired a second straight 70 to assume the solo lead with a three-day total of 215.
Another Korean, Minji Kang is second with 68 and 217.
Charlotte Lafourcade of France and second-day leader Isabella Leung of Hong Kong share third and fourth with 219 following rounds of 74 and 75, respectively.
Meanwhile, FESSAP lauded WUGC Executive Committee members Marius Aseron (Chairman), Emmanuel Edward Co (Vice Chairman), Benito Techico (Vice Chairman) and Rolando Romero (Vice Chairman) for their roles in ensuring the success of the competition.
The four-day tournament is supported by the Department of Tourism, Tourism Promotions Board, Pradera Verde, Arena Lux Enterprise, Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc., Seascape Village, and Aurora Securities, Inc.
Media partner is the Tabloid Organization in Philippine Sports.
