Thai champ nips LK Go in playoff, sinks PH women’s golf team

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LK Go’s hopes to power the Philippines to a golf gold end with a missed par putt. —JONG ARCANO

HANOI—Lois Kaye Go missed a tying putt for par on the playoff hole and suffered a heartbreaking loss to Thailand’s Natthakritta Vontaveelap that dashed whatever hopes the country still had to win a gold medal in the women’s team event of the 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

“It just didn’t go my way. I felt that I hit four good shots in the playoff,” said Go, moments after making a bogey that came after the highly fancied Thai—who won the individual gold in runaway fashion on Monday—missed a short birdie putt.

Go hit her drive to the edge of the rough, hit a 4 hybrid to the middle of the fairway before stroking a wedge from 111 yards to what looked liked the right distance that rolled into the rough at greenside. A chip that the Cebuano veteran felt was well struck ran by the flag to that killer distance she ultimately failed to handle.

Go forced the playoff when she dominated Thai foe Eila Galitsky in the other semifinal match, taking a 3&2 win in a duel where she was in control all the way and made up for the loss absorbed by Rianne Malixi to Vontaveelap in regulation play.

The national women’s team will now try to salvage a bronze medal against Singapore on Wednesday to preserve a medal streak after winning nothing but gold in the last two international meets.

Go was hoping to get a chance at a team gold medal for the third straight time after being part of the victorious 2018 Asian Games (Indonesia) and 2019 SEA Games (Manila).

The match against Singapore will feature the Filipinos against the individual silver medalist, Aloysa Atienza, a daughter of Filipino migrants who is set to try her luck in the pro ranks this year.