Agojo, Davao's Ababa cop NZ Foursomes crown

Jayvie Agojo (left) and Dabawenya Sarah Ababa hold their championship trophy after winning
the NZ Foursomes Championship.

Jayvie Agojo and Dabawenya Sarah Ababa pooled a 153 as Team Philippines-ICTSI ruled the
2011 New Zealand Foursomes Championship for the second straight year at the
Russley Golf Course in Christchurch, New Zealand last Tuesday.
Agojo, the former Phl Ladies Open champion, and Ababa, winner of last year’s
Malaysian Jr Open, bucked the cold weather and tough playing condition at the
par-74 layout as they combined for rounds of 76 and 77 to nip local bets
Julianne Alvarez and Barbara Parreno by one in the alternate shot format event.
“We just complemented each other’s game. When she was playing bad, I hit the
good shots and vice versa,” said Agojo after snapping a couple of heartbreaking
finishes in her comeback from a long layoff.
Alvarez and Parreno struggled in the first round with a 79 and fell short of
their bid with a 75, settling for second with a 154 while fellow Kiwis Emily
Perry and Chantelle Cassidy wound up third with a 155 after a 78-77.
Chihiro Ikeda and Lovelynn Guioguio, who romped away with last year’s crown at
the Napier Golf Club in Napier, NZ, groped for form with a pair of 81s and
hobbled in seventh place with a 162.
But Agojo and Ababa got the job done, combining for three birdies against five
bogeys to lead the 18-team field after 18 holes. They slowed down in the second
round with two birdies against five bogeys but made a couple of clutch pars in
the closing holes to hold off Alvarez and Parreno and retain the crown for the
ICTSI-backed squad.
“The course was tough and the greens were super fast. But they held on, making
two saved pars in the closing holes to clinch the win,” said ICTSI golf team
coach Bong Lopez.
The victory augured well for Team ICTSI’s campaign in NZ with Agojo, Sarah and
company going for another crown in the Stroke Play Championship slated April
20-22 before competing in the Match Play Championship on April 23-26, also at
the Russley layout.PR