PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — The Philippines dropped a pair of heartbreaking playoff losses to Cambodia and Indonesia in the team match play event to end its fruitless campaign in golf competitions of the 32nd Southeast Asian Games here Thursday.
Rianne Malixi bowed to Yin Harmonie of the host country in sudden death, failing to match the latter’s birdie feat from six feet on No. 9 of the Garden City course as the Philippines yielded to unfancied Cambodia in the knockout head-to-head quarterfinal matches among nine teams.
Malixi delivered the lone medal — a team bronze — in the last SEA Games in Vietnam last year, chipping in for birdie to nip Singapore’s Suanne Loh on the fourth playoff hole.
Falling short of a medal at fourth place in individual play Wednesday, the ICTSI-backed Malixi tried to steer the Philippines into contention in team play but lost to Preap Lien in their quarter duel.
LK Go, however, tripped Harmonie, paving the way for the sudden death.
In men’s team play, the Philippines yielded to Indonesia as Enrique Dimayuga, the best-placed Filipino at joint fifth in individual play, lost to Amadeus Susanto on the first playoff hole on No. 10 in their quarterfinal face-off.
Wyeth Dumdumaya trounced Jonathan Hartono, 4&2, but Aidric Chan dropped a 0-2 setback to Ryan Latief. Dimayuga and Susanto settled for an all-square match that led to the playoff.
Like Malixi, Dimayuga wound up with a par against Susanto’s birdie as the Indonesians advanced to the semis against Vietnam, led by individual gold medalist Khanh Hung Le, which swept Laos in their side of the match play.
Rookie Dumdumaya dominated Hartono and held a 3-up lead with six holes to go on his way to victory but many-time national team mainstay Chan fell by two holes after 13 holes and never recovered, enabling Latief to pound out the win.
