Arevalo rules National Stroke Play Championship

Coming off a life-changing break from golf, Kristoffer Arevalo pulled off a sensational victory at the Philippine National Stroke Play Championship on Friday. 

Arevalo pulled away early with birdies on three of the first four holes then held off a late rally by Korean teen Rho Hyun Ho to escape with a two-shot win at the Legends course of the Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club in Carmona, Cavite. 

The 23-year old, the most senior member of the national team competing at next month’s Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam, withstood pressure from Rho in the back nine as he fired a three-under 69 and a 286 total. 

Rho, the first-round leader, finished with a 70 and settled for second at 288, three ahead of compatriot Kim Tae Soo (73-291). 

Jet Hernandez finished fourth with a 74-292 while and Gabriel Manotoc tied for fifth after a second straight 70 in a strong performance by the other members of the SEA Games squa after the shock disqualification of its fourth member, Jed Dy, for signing a wrong scorecard in the second round. 

Perry Bucay, who either h e l d or shared the lead in the second and third rounds, blew up with a 76 and joined Manotoc, I v a n Monsalve (71) and Shinichi Suzuki (75) in the group at 293. 

Mafy Singson completed a sweep for the Vietnam SEA Games-bound contingent by winning the women’s division diadem in come-from-behind fashion over national teammate Lois Kaye Go. 

Singson, trailing by as many as five in the first round and by two heading to the final round, carded a 72 to turn the tables on Go, who turned in her worst score in four days of 75 for 296. 

Both Arevalo and Singson won trophies and 65-inch Huawei television sets for topping their respective divisions in the country’s biggest amateur event sponsored by the PLDT Group, MVP Sports Foundation, Huawei and Manila Southwoods.