Anthony Fernando fired a three-under-par 69 to propel the Philippines to a first-round lead Monday in the 24th Southeast Asian Games with a 209 total.
Jonel Ababa and Ferdinand Aunzo shot respective 70s to bolster the Philippines’ bid to defend the SEAG Gold the team won in the Manila Games in 2005.
In the first day of competitions at the Bonanza Ranch Khaoya in Thailand, the Philippine surge took the team above second placer Indonesia by one shot. Malaysia ended the day at third with a 212 aggregate.
Meanwhile, Putra Cup champion Thailand languished at fourth place with a 214 aggregate.
The Philippine men’s golf team starts its defense of the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) title Monday at the Bonanza Ranch Khaoyai in Thailand, which as a long course that the Pinoys see as “friendly.”
“It’s just a long course, but it can turn out to be a friendly one,” Mark Fernando told the Philippine Daily Inquirer after the final practice round on Sunday.
“We can hit it (off the tees) as hard as we can, because the fairways are so wide,” Fernando added. Fernando and teammate Jonel Ababa are two products of the National Caddies’ Open.
They join Ferdinand Aunzo and reigning Philippine Amateur champ Anthony Fernando in the all-rookie SEAG squad. The Manila SEAG Philippines team, composed of Juvic Pagunsan, Artemio Murakami and Jay Bayron, won the gold at The Country Club in Laguna in 2005.
