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ANTONIO Asistio fueled his bid to make the national golf team after scoring a seven-under 65 at the Mt. Malarayat Golf and Country Club at the start of the national team qualifiers yesterday in Lipa City, Batangas.
Asistio, who finished second to Jhonnel Ababa in the first 36-hole stroke play elims during the RP Amateur last month, made the most on the front of the par-72 layout with six birdies to complete a solid round of 32-33. He was actually targeting a 64 but a three-putt at the par-5 18th hole gave him a 65.
Still, the performance gave Asistio a heads-up in the qualifiers conducted by the National Golf Association of the Phils. to select the members of the RP team for next month’s Putra Cup in Thailand. After the Malarayat stage, the 10-man roster will head over to Riviera for the roundup of the tryouts. The top six will make the RP pool with the top four leading the Putra Cup campaign.
Alejandro had a 68 while another ICTSI bet, former Hong Kong Amateur Open champion Dante Becierra fired a two-under 70 for third. Reigning national champion Mark Fernando opened with a 33 but faltered with three bogeys in the first five holes at the back, needing to birdie the par 17th to salvage a one-under 71 for fourth. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio
