Asia’s rising stars, headed by Filipinos Artemio Murakami, Carl Ocampo and Miguel Tabuena, will converge in Cebu for the latest Asian Development Tour (ADT) event next month when the Aboitiz Invitational presented by ICTSI is staged at the Cebu Country Club Aug. 31 to Sept. 3.
The $65,000-tournament is making its debut on the ADT this year, where it will become the seventh leg on its 2011 Schedule.
Murakami and Ocampo, along with Brunei’s newcomer Faiz Damit graced the press launched in Cebu Tuesday to promote the Aboitiz Invitational, which was launched last year as a domestic event on the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour.
As the Aboitiz Invitational will be one of the final tournaments of the season on the ADT, it will play an important role in determining the top three players on the Order of Merit. The leading three money-earners will gain an automatic card on the elite Asian Tour for the 2012 season.
The Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV) has an impressive portfolio of businesses, which include power, banking and food.
Others who graced the launch were Htwe Hla Han, senior director of Tour Development Asian Tour, Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. general manager Colo Ventosa, Cebu Country Club general manager Clifford Celdran and CCC golf director Frederick Chiongbian and Aboitiz Equity Ventures chief reputation officer Sebastian Lacson.
Chinese Taipei’s Chiang Cheh-chih, winner of the Transcend Championship in Taipei, is currently leading the OOM race with $22,750, followed by American Jonathan Moore, who topped the PGM Impian Classic in Kuala Lumpur with $15,916.
Murakami is in third spot with earnings of $14,517, followed by another Chinese Taipei player Chang Tse-peng and Malaysia’s S. Siva Chandhran, who was the inaugural ADT Order of Merit champion and the only player with multiple wins on the ADT so far.
Juvic Pagunsan, the current leader of the ICTSI-PGT Order of Merit and a winner in the Asian Tour, is also expected to join the title hunt in the Aboitiz Invitational along with the country’s other leading players such as Tony Lascuna, who finished joint third at the Asian Tour’s Worldwide Holdings Selangor Masters last week, and Angelo Que.
Murakami, who has won on the Asian Tour previously, said the upgrading of the Aboitiz Invitational into an ADT event will present a wonderful opportunity for budding Filipino golfers to compete on the international stage.
“I am very much looking forward to the Aboitiz Invitational as it will allow the local stars to compete against many of the leading players from the ADT. While the ADT is the development circuit for the Asian Tour, competition is still very demanding as the winning scores are often very low. We will need to consistently shoot low scores to compete on the ADT,” said Murakami.
Ocampo is also keen to test his game at the Aboitiz Invitational, saying: “It’s such a big thrill for the Aboitiz Invitational to upgrade its tournament into an ADT event. There are huge incentives for our players to win the tournament as it could result in a direct route onto the Asian Tour through the top three rankings in the ADT Order of Merit.”
Faiz believes that competing in the ADT has given him the added experience required to become a top-notch international golfer.
“Through regular competition in the ADT, I believe I am now a better player than before. It is great that we will have a new tournament on board with us with the Aboitiz Invitational joining the ADT Schedule. I’m looking forward to competing in this event as it gives us an opportunity to travel and compete,” said Faiz.(pr)
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Ababa nips fellow Dabawenyo
http://edgedavao.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4906:ababa-nips-fellow-dabawenyo&catid=46:games&Itemid=79
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| Rookie pro Jhonnel Ababa (right) receives the championship trophy from Iloilo Golf and Country Club president Henry Go after nipping Jay Bayron in the first playoff hole to rule the ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge at the IGCC course in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo last Friday for first victory on the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour. |
Ardina reaches US Girls Jrs final
Dottie Ardina came out of a two-hour rain delay in sizzling form, thumping
Summar Roachell of Arkansas, 5&4, in the quarterfinals then survived Yu Liu of
China, 2&1, in the semis to gain a shot at the US Girls Juniors Championship
crown at Olympia Fields in Illinois Friday.
Ardina, 17, continued to struggle on the greens but handled the pressure with
aplomb, pouncing on Liu’s back-to-back bogeys from No. 16 to clinch the victory
and reach the finals of the annual event for the first time.
“It feels good (to be in the finals),” said the top ICTSI-backed shotmaker, who
also had to battle severely blistered feet all day. She has three blisters on
each foot, which made walking tough. She shuffled her way around the course,
never giving in.
“But I need to make my (birdie) putts because I kind of missed a lot of chances
(against Liu),” added Ardina.
Standing in her title bid is Thai’s Ariya Jutanugarn, a 15-year-old gem who
recorded the largest margin of victory in the championship, an 8&6 rout of Amy
Lee in their own side of the semis duel.
“She’s a fighter. I’m confident she can match up with Jutanugarn,” said ICTSI
team coach Bong Lopez. “But she must polish her putting stroke since her ball
striking has been quite good and her iron game has been pretty solid.”
Liu actually came into the semis confident she could make it all the way to the
final but Ardina showed grace under pressure and foiled her bid while keeping
the Philippines’ hopes for a first-ever championship in the event alive.
Against Liu, Ardina rolled in a 40-foot birdie putt on No. 1 to grab the early
lead but the Chinese bet birdied the par-5 No. 4 to even the match which
remained all square for 10 of the next 12 holes.
But Liu stumbled with consecutive bogeys at the par-4 16th and 17th, handing the
reigning Queen Sirikit individual champion the victory.
In the morning quarterfinals, Ardina took five of the first nine holes to
dominate Roachell before the matches were interrupted by a two-hour, 13-minute
rain delay that dropped nearly three-quarters of an inch of rain over the
heat-baked South Course.
The 36-hole finale is set Saturday.
Over in North Carolina, Cyna Rodriguez flubbed a seven-foot par putt in the
fifth extra hole and bowed to Marina Alex in the quarterfinal round of the 109th
North and South Women’s Amateur Championship at Pinehurst No. 2.
It was a sorry loss for Rodriguez, who banged in a six-foot birdie putt on No.
16 to draw level but three-putted No. 18 to enable Alex to force a playoff.
Both players parred the first four playoff holes but Rodriguez overshot the pin
at the par-5 No. 5 green, the ball spinning back, leaving her a tough pitch shot
to get it up-and-down. She missed from seven feet while Alex two-putted for par
to win the match.(pr)
Summar Roachell of Arkansas, 5&4, in the quarterfinals then survived Yu Liu of
China, 2&1, in the semis to gain a shot at the US Girls Juniors Championship
crown at Olympia Fields in Illinois Friday.
Ardina, 17, continued to struggle on the greens but handled the pressure with
aplomb, pouncing on Liu’s back-to-back bogeys from No. 16 to clinch the victory
and reach the finals of the annual event for the first time.
“It feels good (to be in the finals),” said the top ICTSI-backed shotmaker, who
also had to battle severely blistered feet all day. She has three blisters on
each foot, which made walking tough. She shuffled her way around the course,
never giving in.
“But I need to make my (birdie) putts because I kind of missed a lot of chances
(against Liu),” added Ardina.
Standing in her title bid is Thai’s Ariya Jutanugarn, a 15-year-old gem who
recorded the largest margin of victory in the championship, an 8&6 rout of Amy
Lee in their own side of the semis duel.
“She’s a fighter. I’m confident she can match up with Jutanugarn,” said ICTSI
team coach Bong Lopez. “But she must polish her putting stroke since her ball
striking has been quite good and her iron game has been pretty solid.”
Liu actually came into the semis confident she could make it all the way to the
final but Ardina showed grace under pressure and foiled her bid while keeping
the Philippines’ hopes for a first-ever championship in the event alive.
Against Liu, Ardina rolled in a 40-foot birdie putt on No. 1 to grab the early
lead but the Chinese bet birdied the par-5 No. 4 to even the match which
remained all square for 10 of the next 12 holes.
But Liu stumbled with consecutive bogeys at the par-4 16th and 17th, handing the
reigning Queen Sirikit individual champion the victory.
In the morning quarterfinals, Ardina took five of the first nine holes to
dominate Roachell before the matches were interrupted by a two-hour, 13-minute
rain delay that dropped nearly three-quarters of an inch of rain over the
heat-baked South Course.
The 36-hole finale is set Saturday.
Over in North Carolina, Cyna Rodriguez flubbed a seven-foot par putt in the
fifth extra hole and bowed to Marina Alex in the quarterfinal round of the 109th
North and South Women’s Amateur Championship at Pinehurst No. 2.
It was a sorry loss for Rodriguez, who banged in a six-foot birdie putt on No.
16 to draw level but three-putted No. 18 to enable Alex to force a playoff.
Both players parred the first four playoff holes but Rodriguez overshot the pin
at the par-5 No. 5 green, the ball spinning back, leaving her a tough pitch shot
to get it up-and-down. She missed from seven feet while Alex two-putted for par
to win the match.(pr)
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Davao's Bayron blows up field with 66, leads by 5
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| DAVAO'S JAY BAYRON |
Dabawenyo Jay Bayron threatened to dominate the ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge with
a solid four-under 66, posting a whopping five-stroke lead over Jhonnel Ababa in
the second round of the P1 million event at the Iloilo Golf and Country Club in
Sta. Barbara in Iloilo City Thursday.
Crowded by veterans Cassius Casas and Danny Zarate at the top with 67 in the
first round, Bayron played true to form, ramming in five birdies in a 14-hole
stretch that started at the backside of the short par-70 layout. He missed
stretching the lead to six with a missed-green bogey on No. 8.
Still, his 36-hole aggregate of seven-under 133 put him way ahead of the field
with Casas and Zarate failing to match the reigning Order of Merit champion’s
surge and the rest turning in mediocre rounds in another hot, humid day.
“Hindi pa rin sigurado kasi mahirap din ang course at matigas ang green (Still
not sure, the course is tough, especially the greens), said Bayron, who skipped
last week’s ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic to compete on One Asia Tour where he
missed the cut.
He didn’t only make the cut this week but also looked headed for a rout.
Ababa took the challenger’s role at 138 after a 68 as Zarate fumbled with a
two-over 72 and tumbled to joint third at 139 with Gene Bondoc, who had a 68,
Danilo delos Santos, who carded a 70, and Randy Garalde, who made a 71.
Ababa, the former amateur hotshot, birdied three of the last eight holes at the
back to get a crack at the crown but would need nothing less than a spectacular
round to foil Bayron in the 54-hole tournament organized by Pilipinas Golf
Tournaments, Inc. and sponsored by International Container Terminal Services,
Inc.
Casas, on the other hand, struggled on the sleek putting surface all day, making
three three-putt bogeys while flubbing par-putts from as close as four feet to
drop to a share of 14th at 141, eight strokes off Bayron.
Casas hit just two birdies after making four Wednesday that propelled him to a
share of the lead while salvaging a good bogey on the par-4 No. 11 where he
drove out of bounds.
Antonio Asistio II, still searching for the proverbial killer’s instinct after
blowing at least two title bids on a final round meltdown, gunned down six
birdies against four bogeys for a 68 as he tied Jun Bernis, Ruben Sasutil and
Edgar Ababa, who all shot 69s, at 140.
Rookie Carl Santos-Ocampo charged home with a 68, Dante Becierra turned in a 71
and Rufino Bayron made a 72, to join the 140 group.
The event is backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab,
BDO, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, Empire Golf & Sports Shop,
PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, Omnisource International, A Round of Golf,
Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.(pr)
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Last-hole bogey drops Dabawenyo to 3-way tie
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| CASSIUS CASAS |
Dabawenyo Cassius Casas missed seizing the solo lead with a missed green bogey on
No. 18, settling for a three-under 67 and dropping into a share of the lead with
favorite and fellow Dabawenyo Jay Bayron and unfancied Danny Zarate at the start of
the ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge at the Iloilo Golf and Country Club in Sta. Barbara in Iloilo
City Wednesday.
Coming off a missed-cut stint at ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic in Bacolod last
week, Casas recalled his old form and came through with a near-impeccable iron
game that set up birdie chances within six feet, four of which he made to seize
control of the 75-player field.
But he hooked his drive on the par-4 18th and failed to get up-and-down on the
sleek putting surface, finishing with a 34-33 card under ideal playing condition
at the tight par-70 layout carved from the rolling hills of Sta. Barbara.
“Pwede pa, kaya pang manalo uli (I think I can still win),” said Casas, who used
to dominate the local circuit but has since slowed down the last few years,
posting just one “lucky” win last year when three players were disqualified on a
final hole infraction at the ICTSI Del Monte Championship in Bukidnon.
But while Casas blew the chance for the solo lead, Bayron and Zarate got a piece
of it by birdying the short 335-yard No. 18, forging a three-way tie while four
others were bunched at 68, one stroke behind, in what promises to be another
tight, wild finish in this seventh leg of the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour.
Bayron, installed as the favorite in the 54-hole event in the absence of the
tour’s big guns who are competing in the Asian Tour’s Selangor Masters, hit four
birdies against a bogey at the par-70 layout, putting himself in early
contention for the top P200,000 purse in the 54-hole event organized by
Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and sponsored by International Container
Terminal Services, Inc.
But while the ace Davaoeño shotmaker’s surge was expected, Zarate’s splendid
backside stint came as a big surprise as the veteran campaigner failed to
contend again after ruling the kickoff leg of the revival of the local circuit
at Mt. Malarayat in 2009.
He actually turned in a so-so performance after nine holes with three birdies
against the same number of birdies but surged ahead with three birdies in a
bogey-free stint at the back, highlighted by a 25-footer on the par-5 No. 14.
“I just got lucky,” said Zarate, who also bucked a right-hand injury to turn in
one of the day’s best scores at the relatively short 36-34 layout with a couple
of reachable par-4s for the tour’s long-hitters.
“But the greens are tough, very undulating. You have to come up with good
approach shots to score here,” said the Sanyo Seiki-backed pro, who hopes to
duplicate his feat at Malarayat where he led from start to finish to rule the
inaugural staging of the circuit backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc.,
Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, BDO, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno,
Empire Golf & Sports Shop, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, Omnisource
International, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.
But Zarate admits it will be an uphill battle with a crowded leaderboard as
Rufino Bayron and Marvin Dumandan stood just a stroke behind with 68s in a tie
with unheralded Randy Garalde and veteran Dan Cruz,.
Former national team mainstay Jerson Balasabas shot a 69 for a four-way tie with
Dante Becierra, Danilo delos Santos and amateur Paul Telly Visinica, who flashed
his familiarity with the course he calls home while Ramil Bisera, Jhonnel Ababa,
Al Cruz and amateur Alexes Nallos matched par 70s.
Richard Sinfuego surprisingly struggled on a course he calls home, hitting just
one birdie while fumbling with three bogeys for a two-over 72, five strokes off
the joint leaders.
Bacolod leg winner Robert Pactolerin blew what had appeared to be an inspiring
start at the backside, dropping six strokes in a five-hole stretch from No. 13
after sinking a six-foot birdie putt on No. 12.
The 50-year-old veteran, who nipped Tony Lascuna in a four-hole playoff to
clinch the ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic crown last week, never recovered from
that 39 as he closed out with a 38 for a 77 and found himself in danger of
missing the cut again.
Meanwhile, highlights of the ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic will be aired on A
Round of Golf on Aug. 4 starting at 8 p.m. on Solar Sports, while the ICTSI
Iloilo Challenge will be telecast on Aug. 11.
A Round of Golf is aired every Thursday on Solar Sports.(pr)
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| JAY BAYRON |
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| DANNY ZARATE |
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge unwraps Wednesday
The P1 million ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge unfolds on Wednesday, July 20 at
the Iloilo Golf and Country Club with Robert Pactolerin going for a rare
back-to-back win, Jay Bayron of Davao looking for his first victory and Richard Sinfuego
out to reign at home.
With the rest of the starting 63-player field also raring to slug it out for top
honors, the chase for the P200,000 purse in the seventh leg of the
ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour is expected to go down-to-the-wire the way it did in
Bacolod last week.
Pactolerin came out of nowhere to fire a three-under 67 and force a playoff then
edged Dabawenyo Tony Lascuna in the fourth extra hole to rule the ICTSI Negros Occidental
Classic, ending a 30-month long title drought for the former Philippine Open
champion.
The 50-year-old Pactolerin hopes to sustain his charge in the absence of the
tour’s top guns although the field remains talent-laden with Bayron, the
reigning Order of Merit champion with two victories last year, resuming his
title hunt after a missed-cut stint in the One Asia Tour last week.
Sinfuego will also be a marked man in the 54-hole tournament, organized by
Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and sponsored by International Container
Terminal Services, Inc., with the former national team mainstay expected to
flaunt his local knowledge of the par-70 layout where he honed his talent and
skills.
Meanwhile, Rufino Bayron primed up for the championship by leading his team
composed of Carlos Jalandoni, Vic Lagman and Douglas Aurelio to victory with a
54 output, nipping Randy Garalde and partners Seve Aguilar, Vic Sucilla and
Susan Divina Gracia in the countback in the traditional pro-am tournament
yesterday.
Arnold Villacencio and Youn Wang Sob, Kozono Takayuki and Kim Dong Hoon combined
for 56 to finish third in the event which featured guests and officials of the
tournament backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab,
BDO, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, Empire Golf & Sports
Shop, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, Omnisource International, A Round of Golf,
Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.
A number of emerging stars are also tipped to contend for the crown, including
Mhark Fernando, Jhonnel Ababa, Rufino Bayron, Jerson Balasabas, Carl
Santos-Ocampo and Anthony Fernando, each hoping to come out strong and build the
needed momentum.
Marvin Dumandan, winner of three legs last year, is likewise fancied to break
out of a long slump along with Jun Bernis, Cassius Casas, Gene Bondoc, Rodrigo
Cuello, Benjie Magada and Danny Zarate.
Juvic Pagunsan, who ruled three of the circuit’s first six legs but collapsed in
the final round in Bacolod, is skipping this week’s event along with Artemio
Murakami, Mars Pucay, Miguel Tabuena and Lascuna as they compete in the Selangor
Masters in Malaysia, held simultaneously with the ICTSI Iloilo Challenge, where
Angelo Que is the defending champion.
The big guns, however, are expected to be back in the ICTSI-PGT’s eighth leg at
Apo Golf Club in Davao on Aug. 10-12 where Pagunsan is the reigning back-to-back
champion. The circuit then hops to Bukidnon on Aug. 17-19 for the ICTSI Del
Monte Championship before heading to Cebu for the Aboitiz Invitational, a
72-hole championship which also serve as a leg of the Asian Development Tour.(pr)
the Iloilo Golf and Country Club with Robert Pactolerin going for a rare
back-to-back win, Jay Bayron of Davao looking for his first victory and Richard Sinfuego
out to reign at home.
With the rest of the starting 63-player field also raring to slug it out for top
honors, the chase for the P200,000 purse in the seventh leg of the
ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour is expected to go down-to-the-wire the way it did in
Bacolod last week.
Pactolerin came out of nowhere to fire a three-under 67 and force a playoff then
edged Dabawenyo Tony Lascuna in the fourth extra hole to rule the ICTSI Negros Occidental
Classic, ending a 30-month long title drought for the former Philippine Open
champion.
The 50-year-old Pactolerin hopes to sustain his charge in the absence of the
tour’s top guns although the field remains talent-laden with Bayron, the
reigning Order of Merit champion with two victories last year, resuming his
title hunt after a missed-cut stint in the One Asia Tour last week.
Sinfuego will also be a marked man in the 54-hole tournament, organized by
Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and sponsored by International Container
Terminal Services, Inc., with the former national team mainstay expected to
flaunt his local knowledge of the par-70 layout where he honed his talent and
skills.
Meanwhile, Rufino Bayron primed up for the championship by leading his team
composed of Carlos Jalandoni, Vic Lagman and Douglas Aurelio to victory with a
54 output, nipping Randy Garalde and partners Seve Aguilar, Vic Sucilla and
Susan Divina Gracia in the countback in the traditional pro-am tournament
yesterday.
Arnold Villacencio and Youn Wang Sob, Kozono Takayuki and Kim Dong Hoon combined
for 56 to finish third in the event which featured guests and officials of the
tournament backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab,
BDO, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, Empire Golf & Sports
Shop, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, Omnisource International, A Round of Golf,
Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.
A number of emerging stars are also tipped to contend for the crown, including
Mhark Fernando, Jhonnel Ababa, Rufino Bayron, Jerson Balasabas, Carl
Santos-Ocampo and Anthony Fernando, each hoping to come out strong and build the
needed momentum.
Marvin Dumandan, winner of three legs last year, is likewise fancied to break
out of a long slump along with Jun Bernis, Cassius Casas, Gene Bondoc, Rodrigo
Cuello, Benjie Magada and Danny Zarate.
Juvic Pagunsan, who ruled three of the circuit’s first six legs but collapsed in
the final round in Bacolod, is skipping this week’s event along with Artemio
Murakami, Mars Pucay, Miguel Tabuena and Lascuna as they compete in the Selangor
Masters in Malaysia, held simultaneously with the ICTSI Iloilo Challenge, where
Angelo Que is the defending champion.
The big guns, however, are expected to be back in the ICTSI-PGT’s eighth leg at
Apo Golf Club in Davao on Aug. 10-12 where Pagunsan is the reigning back-to-back
champion. The circuit then hops to Bukidnon on Aug. 17-19 for the ICTSI Del
Monte Championship before heading to Cebu for the Aboitiz Invitational, a
72-hole championship which also serve as a leg of the Asian Development Tour.(pr)
Monday, July 18, 2011
Dabawenyo joins hunt at ICTSI Iloilo Classic
Davao's Jay Bayron resumes his campaign on the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour as he leads
the compact field vying for top honors in the P1 million ICTSI Iloilo Golf
Challenge firing off Wednesday, July 20 at the Iloilo Golf and
Country Club in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo.
Bayron, the reigning Order of Merit champion, is out to make up for a missed cut
stint in last week’s One Asia Tour in Indonesia with a solid finish this week
with majority of the top guns in Malaysia competing in the Selangor Masters.
The long-hitting Davaoeno shotmaker remains winless after six legs of the local
circuit, placing second to current OOM pacesetter Juvic Pagunsan at Royal
Northwoods and turning in so-so finishes at Mt. Malarayat and Orchard before
salvaging sixth place at ICTSI Mt. Malarayat Classic of the ASEAN PGA Tour.
But without Pagunsan, Tony Lascuna, Mars Pucay and Angelo Que, the defending
champion at Selangor Masters, Bayron is expected to contend for the top P200,000
purse in the 54-hole event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and
sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.
Still, Bayron will be facing a formidable cast that includes last week’s Bacolod
leg winner Robert Pactolerin, Marvin Dumandan, young turks Mhark Fernando,
Jhonnel Ababa, Jerson Balasabas, Anthony Fernando and local bet Richard
Sinfuego.
Meanwhile, the leading pros get the chance to test the course in the pro-am
tournament today (Tuesday) where they are paired with guests and officials of
the tournament backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway,
Unilab, BDO, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, Empire Golf & Sports
Shop, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, Omnisource International, A Round of Golf,
Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.
While Bayron looms as the top favorite, Pactolerin is out to score a rare
back-to-back feat after he snapped a two-year title drought with a tough victory
in Bacolod where he had to fight back from four stroke down in the final round
and outlast Lascuna in a grueling four-hole playoff.
Dumandan, the winningest player last year with three victories, also hopes to
settle down with his game and vie for the crown after a shaky campaign in the
early going of the circuit with only a runner-up finish to Pagunsan at ICTSI
Eastridge to show so far.
But focus will also be on Sinfuego, who is expected to flash his familiarity
with the quaint par-70 layout and end a long title slump in the four-year old
circuit.(pr)
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Surprise win propels ‘Pacto’ to No. 7
Robert Pactolerin’s playoff victory over Tony Lascuna at the ICTSI Negros
Occidental Classic in Bacolod thrust the veteran campaigner to a spot in the Top
10 after languishing in the lower half of the Order of Merit ranking in the
early going of the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour.
The win, where he needed to battle back from four strokes down and endure four
extra holes to edge Lascuna for the top P200,000 purse, has put the former
Philippine Open and many-time Masters champion back in the hunt for the coveted
OOM crown with P232,000 earnings.
He remained miles away from runaway leader Juvic Pagunsan, but his recent
victory brought him from out of nowhere (No. 48) and into No. 7 heading to the
next leg of the 17-stage circuit in Iloilo for the Iloilo Golf Challenge
starting Wednesday (July 20).
“I really believe I still have what it takes to win,” said Pactolerin, who
turned 50 last July 3.
The victory not only snap a 30-month title drought that started after he won the
ICTSI Sherwood crown in 2008 when the International Container Terminal Services,
Inc. launched the pro tour with a three-leg series in late 2008. But it also
ended a string of missed cut stints this year, including the ICTSI Philippine
Open at Wack Wack where he reigned 21 years ago.
“I went through a lot of setbacks, missing the cut six times. But I tried to
keep fit and in shape. At my age, I need to be since there are a lot of young,
good players emerging,” said Pactolerin.
With majority of the leading players on the local circuit skipping this week’s
event for the Selangor Masters in Malaysia, Pactolerin will be taking on a bunch
of young and rising players as he tries to annex a second straight championship
in the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
They include Mhark Fernando, Jhonnel Ababa, Antonio Asistio II, Jerson
Balasabas, Rufino Bayron, Jun Bernis, Michael Bibat, Gene Bondoc, Paul Echavez,
Anthony Fernando, Mhark Fernando and Marvin Dumandan.
Meanwhile, the traditional pro-am tournament, featuring guests and officials of
the event’s chief backers, will be held tomorrow (Tuesday) at the Sta. Barbara
Golf and Country Cub.
The event is backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab,
BDO, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, Empire Golf & Sports
Shop, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, Omnisource International, A Round of Golf,
Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.(pr)
Occidental Classic in Bacolod thrust the veteran campaigner to a spot in the Top
10 after languishing in the lower half of the Order of Merit ranking in the
early going of the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour.
The win, where he needed to battle back from four strokes down and endure four
extra holes to edge Lascuna for the top P200,000 purse, has put the former
Philippine Open and many-time Masters champion back in the hunt for the coveted
OOM crown with P232,000 earnings.
He remained miles away from runaway leader Juvic Pagunsan, but his recent
victory brought him from out of nowhere (No. 48) and into No. 7 heading to the
next leg of the 17-stage circuit in Iloilo for the Iloilo Golf Challenge
starting Wednesday (July 20).
“I really believe I still have what it takes to win,” said Pactolerin, who
turned 50 last July 3.
The victory not only snap a 30-month title drought that started after he won the
ICTSI Sherwood crown in 2008 when the International Container Terminal Services,
Inc. launched the pro tour with a three-leg series in late 2008. But it also
ended a string of missed cut stints this year, including the ICTSI Philippine
Open at Wack Wack where he reigned 21 years ago.
“I went through a lot of setbacks, missing the cut six times. But I tried to
keep fit and in shape. At my age, I need to be since there are a lot of young,
good players emerging,” said Pactolerin.
With majority of the leading players on the local circuit skipping this week’s
event for the Selangor Masters in Malaysia, Pactolerin will be taking on a bunch
of young and rising players as he tries to annex a second straight championship
in the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
They include Mhark Fernando, Jhonnel Ababa, Antonio Asistio II, Jerson
Balasabas, Rufino Bayron, Jun Bernis, Michael Bibat, Gene Bondoc, Paul Echavez,
Anthony Fernando, Mhark Fernando and Marvin Dumandan.
Meanwhile, the traditional pro-am tournament, featuring guests and officials of
the event’s chief backers, will be held tomorrow (Tuesday) at the Sta. Barbara
Golf and Country Cub.
The event is backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab,
BDO, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, Empire Golf & Sports
Shop, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, Omnisource International, A Round of Golf,
Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.(pr)
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