The Philippine golf teams kept bets within medal range after two rounds of play in the Asian Games at Kasugai Golf Club’s East Course on Thursday as Justin delos Santos fired a three-under-par 67 and Rianne Malixi gunned down five birdies in shooting a 66.
Delos Santos returned a 34-33 that had four birdies against a bogey for a 135 aggregate as the 31-year-old is just four shots out of the joint lead in men’s play, with the squad counting the 70 of Miguel Tabuena for a second-round 137 and 274 that has the Filipinos trailing Japan by 10 strokes.
The men’s team is eight shots out of third-running South Korea, which drew a 66 from PGA star Tom Kim and 67 from Mun Do-yeob for a second straight 133 and 266.
‘There’s still a lot of golf left to be played,’ Delos Santos told the Inquirer over the phone. ‘I’m just happy to still be in a good position [heading into the final two rounds]. It’s still a good day, overall.’
Japan was so efficient for the second straight round that the 66 of Keita Nakajima and Kazuki Higa’s 67 counted for a 133 and 264 overall, with the host country throwing out the 68 of Taishi Moto. Japan leads China by a stroke heading into the third round.
Wenyi Ding shot a bogey-free 64 to lead China’s second round 132, as he climbed into a tie for the individual men’s lead with Chinese Taipei’s Wang Wei-hsuan, who shot a 66 for 131.
The Chinese counted either 68 of Yunhe Zheng or Zihao Jin for 265 as they kept the Koreans and Kim-who is seeking to win no less than gold to be exempt from mandatory military duty back home-at bay.
Malixi, meanwhile, put herself within three shots out of third place as the Duke University standout gunned down all five of those birdies in her first 15 holes before dropping her only shot on the 18th.
Malixi was the only one who cracked par for the Filipinas as Pauline del Rosario returned a 73 to complete the squad’s 139 for 276, with Team PH throwing away Bianca Pagdanganan’s 74.
Ruoning Yin of China, the former world No. 1 and major champion, also fired a 66 and climbed into a tie for third spot with South Korea’s Yang Yun-seo, who returned a 65, at 133.
Shannon Tan of Singapore fired a 64 for 127 and a two-shot lead over India’s Pranavi Sharath Urs, who was flawless in shooting a 63.
China counted a second 66 courtesy of Yan Liu for a second-round 132 and 268 overall, as the Chinese eased out into the team lead over Singapore by a shot.