Southwoods, Rancho Palos rule PAL Ladies golf

DAVAO -- Manila Southwoods-Masters easily brushed aside the brave challenge put up by Del Monte to romp away with the championship division title in the final round of the revived sixth Philippine Airlines (PAL) Ladies Interclub held at the Rancho Palos Verdes Golf and Country Club Friday.

Regine de Guzman made sure there won't be any slip-up, firing four birdies including back-to-back hits on Nos. 10 and 11 for a two-under-par 70, worth 56 PAL points for Southwoods-Masters which wound up with a 624. The Sunshine Baraquiel and bubbly Beachie Abiera provided good support with 51 and 49, respectively.

De Guzman also collared the individual crown in Flight A, narrowly edging out Anya Tanpinco, 113-112.

"Everyone's excited with the win. We're proud to be the champs in the PAL Ladies Interclub after a 23-year absence," said Beachie Abiera, captain of Southwoods-Masters.

Although the outcome has been known after the third round, Del Monte still tried to put on a pretty end to its campaign. Eva Minoza had an impressive 55 to lead way for the Bukidnon-based squad. Pam Mariano's 47 and Apple Fudolin's 45 were added in the four-to-play, three-to-count for 147 and a 570 total.

Rainstar Roque, Del Monte's 12-year-old teen wonder, captured the Flight B tiara with 89 points.

Alabang, the last winner of the championship division in the 1988 edition of the tournament, was victorious also, though this time, in the Founders Division.

Though it trailed Negros in 36 holes, the Alabang girls surged ahead in the third round with a 121 then capped it off in the final 18 with a 128 on Anna Mendoza's 47, Rita Horan's 46 and Joan Morales' 37 for 491.

Negros, which got 132-136 mainly because of Tanpinco's excellent games, stumbled with 96 and 105 for 469. As a consolation, Tanpinco was runner-up in the individual honors in Flight A behind de Guzman.

Riviera (99-425), Valley Golf-South (105-414), Cebu Country Club (103-391) and Mactan (93-371) completed the cast in the Founders.

Southwoods made it a double celebration as its Legends team stamped its class in the Sportswriters Division. Claudine Garcia and Nini Samaniego each carded a 44 while Heidi Schettkat added a 31 for 119 and 425.

Eagle Ridge was a far second with 395 after it assembled 100 on the 38 of Linda Goble, 34 of Jessie Cho and 28 of Edith Williams. Bacolod was third with 387 and Manila Golf fourth with 372. The Kooka-Birdies from Australia ended with a 173.

The Friendship Division was also a no-contest as host Rancho Palos Verdes (102-403) handily defeated fellow local Apo (92-355). At third place was Davao (83-333) followed by Victorias (101-325), Iloilo (73-308), Tagaytay Highlands (81-295), Japan (79-264), Malarayat (76-259) and Valley Golf North (77-230) competed in the same bracket.(pr)

PAL Ladies Interclub: Southwoods surges closer to Interclub champs title

DAVAO—Regine de Guzman took off from where Jayvie Agojo left, scoring a three-
under-par 69 for 57 PAL points to put Manila Southwoods-Masters on the verge of
nailing the championship division title of the sixth Philippine Airlines (PAL) Ladies
Interclub tournament at the Rancho Palos Verdes Golf and Country Club.

De Guzman carded a birdie on the 12th but slowed down with a bogey on the 18th.
In the front nine, she rolled in three birdies, including back-to-back on Nos. 7 and 8. Her
output, when added to Sunshine Baraquiel’s 53 and Beachie Abiera’s 44 totalled 154 and
468 with one round left in the revived event by PAL.

That’s 45 points better than Del Monte’s 423 after the Bukidnon girls pieced
together a 141. As usual, Lovelyn Guioguio was at the forefront of the attack with 53
markers. Rainstar Roque, the youngest competitor at 12 years old, and Taj Tabanas
checked in with 44 points apiece. Pam Mariano bombed out with a 39.

“We’re in great position. It takes off the pressure,” said Abiera, the playing
captain of Southwoods-Masters, whose men counterparts are reportedly eyeing to
duplicate the ladies’ success by beefing up its team lineup in preparation for the PAL
Men’s Interclub also set here February next year.

With the impending victory of Southwoods-Masters, focus has now shifted to
the Founders and Sportswriters divisions where the frontrunners saw their lead trimmed
considerably.

From 26 points, Negros slowed down with a 96 for 364 with 18 holes to play and
was only up by two as two-time champion Alabang’s 362 after it pulled through with a
120 on a hot and humid Thursday at the par-72, 5,098-yard championship layout.

With big gun and former national team member Anya Tanpinco already finished
with her mandatory two-day stint, her teammates struggled miserably with only Jocelyn
Garcia firing a 42. Joanne Reyes had a 31 and Joan Rojas a 23.

In stark contrast, Alabang, the last champion before the tournament was revived
by PAL this year, displayed more effort this time than the past two days. Ana Luisa
Mendoza paced with a 41, Korean Jang Eun-sil contributed a 40 and Joan Morales added
a 39 in the four-to-play, three-to-count format.

The Eagle Ridge ladies turned in a 109 for 295, cutting the lead of Manila
Southwoods-Legends from 20 to 11 in the Sportswriters Division.

Arlette Dizon and Leonila Patricio shared honors with 40 markers and was
supported by Rosemarie Johnsen’s 29 for Eagle Ridge. Southwoods-Legends (100-
306) was led by Serafina Young-mi’s 38 and the 31s each of Sandy Velhagen and Belle
Villanueva.

Host club Rancho Palos Verdes (97-301), meanwhile, had a virtual hold of the
Friendship Division crown as it pulled away by 38 against two local teams Apo Golf (84-
263) and Davao Golf (93-250).(pr)

Minoza snatches crown, nips Dabawenyos Saban, Bayron in playoff

Frankie Minoza (center) shows his trophy after edging Elmer Saban in the second playoff hole to rule the P2.5 million ICTSI Wack Wack Championship, the final leg of the 16-stage ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour. With him are Narlene Soriano, PR manager of the sponsoring ICTSI, and Wack Wack director Pablo Soon.

Bukidnon's Frankie Minoza pulled off one of the most stirring comebacks on the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour, foiling Davaoneos Rufino Bayron and Elmer Saban in the second playoff hole to capture the hotly-disputed P2.5 million ICTSI Wack Wack Championship crown at WW's East course, Friday.
Minoza rallied from seven strokes down to force a sudden death, hitting two crucial birdies on Nos. 13 and 16 and a couple of clutch pars as he and Bayron shot the day’s best scores of 70 while Saban wavered with a 75 in a challenging day at Wack Wack.
The troika finished tied for first at one-under 215 at the close of the 54-hole tournament as the erstwhile leaders, including Ferdie Aunzo, succumbed to pressure and the East challenge in a topsy-turvy final round that served as a fitting ending to the 16-stage circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
As Bayron bowed out after overshooting the 18th green and going out-of-bounds in the first playoff hole, Minoza failed to shake off Saban, flubbing an 18-foot birdie putt. But he pulled through in their third stint on the par-4 finishing hole, tapping in for par then watching Saban miss a pressure-packed six-footer to clinch the win and record his only local crown this year.
But more than the P450,000 purse, the victory proved to be more of a triumph of the spirit for a player on the twilight of his career.
“This is special since I’m already 51 and there are a lot of young players around. But I showed I can still win,” said Minoza, who also won his second Philippine Open crown at Wack Wack in 2007.
It was the third playoff victory recorded in the third full season of the circuit sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. but it topped the first two in terms of excitement and unpredictability, especially in the final round when at least nine players got into the title picture and the leaders changed after each wayward shot or missed putt.
In the end, it was the experience of Minoza that prevailed, his intimidating presence perhaps rattled off Bayron and Saban in the playoff and took their game out of sync, particularly Saban, who cracked with a three-putt miscue from 18 feet.
“Sayang, I had the chance but I just got unlucky,” rued Saban, who nevertheless banked his biggest earning (P320,000) since winning P92,500 in placing second to Juvic Pagunsan in the ICTSI Apo leg last year.
Bayron, winner at Aboitiz Invitational, settled P210,000.
After two 69s, Aunzo’s two-shot lead vanished into thin air with a bogey on No. 2 and a double-bogey on the par-5 No. 5 when he pulled his second shot …He was never the same after that mishap, dropping two more strokes on Nos. 7 and 9 for a birdie-less 41. He matched that output at the back for an 82 in one of the biggest collapses in the circuit.
Aunzo wound up with a 220 and tumbled to joint eighth with Tony Lascuna (72), BDO Canlubang Invitational winner Artemio Murakami (75), Randy Garalde (74) and Michael Bibat (73).
Rates, tied with Saban at second at the start of the final round, likewise wilted under pressure and finished just a shade better than Aunzo with an 80 for a 221 for a share of 13th with ICTSI Negros Occidental winner and former Phl Open champion Robert Pactolerin (73) and Marlon Dizon (77).
Cassius Casas, winner in the Phl Open at WW in 2001, briefly took the lead with a birdie on No. 11 for a two-under card, only to reel back with a bogey on Nos. 14 and missed joining the playoff with a closing double-bogey. He closed out with a 73 for joint fourth with Charles Hong (71) and Dutch Guido Van der Valk (72) at 217.
Anthony Fernando shot a 71 and a 218 for solo seventh in the tournament backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.(pr)

Aunzo holds off Rates, Saban, hikes lead to 2

Ferdie Aunzo.

Davao's Ferdie Aunzo shot a second straight 69 then watched Joenard Rates and fellow Dabawenyo Elmer Saban run out of holes in a remarkable frontside charge, stretching his overnight one-shot lead to two and moving 18 holes away from snapping a long title drought in the P2.5 million ICTSI Wack Wack Championship at WW's East course.
Aunzo recovered from a poor finish in the first round Wednesday and a shaky start at the back Thursday with three straight birdies from No. 14, negating his back-to-back bogey mishaps from No. 12. He gunned down three more birdies in the last 11 holes against a bogey on No. 6 for a second straight 69 and a 138.
He stood four shots ahead of his nearest pursuer until Rates came charging back from a two-over card with four straight birdies from No. 5 to salvage a second straight two-under 70.
Saban proved to be more impressive as the unfancied bet from talent-rich Davao came in the last flight toting the tournament’s lone bogey-free and best round of six-under 66, completing a fiery 31 at the front spiked by three straight birdies from No. 2.
With 140 totals, Saban and Rates, a pair of relatively unknown players from the chasing pack that includes Dabawenyo Cassius Casas, Bukidnon's Frankie Minoza, Davao's Jhonnel Ababa, Artemio Murakami, Dutch Guido Van der Valk and teener Miguel Tabuena, gained a first-ever crack at the championship which stakes one of the two richest purses in the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
Casas, winner of the Philippine Open here in 2001, fired a 70 for an even 144 in a tie with Marlon Dizon, who had a second straight 72, while six players, led by Minoza (73), Murakami (70) and Ababa (72), were a stroke farther back at 145s.
But no lead is safe at WW’s east although Aunzo hopes to use his experience against Rates and Saban in the unlikely troika making up the championship flight today.
When asked if he could finally nail the elusive win and bank the top P450,000 purse, Aunzo stressed the need to be consistent in anticipation of a big final round charge by his rivals and a tougher playing condition at WW.
“I just have to be consistent – hit the fairway and make it in regulation without attacking the green,” said Aunzo, who last won at Royal Northwoods in the kickoff leg of the 2009 circuit. “But I still cannot say if I can win here. I just want to play my game and be more confident with my putting.”
In shooting his second 69, he made 28 putts, including a 10-footer from the fringe for birdie on the par-3 16th, which he double-bogeyed in the first round.
Rates, son of former touring pro Joe who had just one top 10 finish in a campaign marred by five missed cuts, held his own against the tour’s long hitters, averting an impending fold-up with clutch birdies inside eight feet to become the chief contender for the top P450,000 purse in the event sponsored by sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.
“I just stayed relaxed and had fun out there,” said the 31-year-old Rates.
Murakami, winner of the last tournament at BDO Canlubang, rebounded with a 70 as he joined Minoza, Ababa and four others in sixth, including Van der Valk (71), Rufino Bayron (71) and Dante Becierra (00).
Dabawenyo Elmer Salvador, just one behind Aunzo at the start of the round, never recovered from a three-bogey misfortune from No. 3, ending up with a 76 and tumbling to joint 12 with Randy Garalde (69), Charles Hong (72) and Tabuena (73) at 146.
Angelo Que, who reigned at WW in the 2008 Phl Open, struggled for the second straight day with a 77 for a 156 and missed the cut pegged at 152 in the closing tournament of the circuit backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.
Lloyd Go, a member of the national team in the last Putra Cup, took the low amateur honors with one round left as he emerged the lone survivor from the ranks with an impressive 71 for a 149 for joint 22nd.(pr)

ICTSI field faces acid test at Wack Wack

The 81-player strong ICTSI Wack Wack Championship field braces for what could be its toughest challenge in a season-long campaign on the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour as it tackles WW’s fabled East course in the P2.5 million event firing off  Wednesday, Nov. 23.
With its tricky, narrow layout made more exacting by its longer yardage and sleek putting surface, the par-72 course is expected to bring out the best – or the worst – from the star-studded field chasing the top purse of P450,000 in the final leg of this year’s circuit.
Jay Bayron, the reigning ICTSI PGT Order of Merit champion, returns to the scene of his near Philippine Open win, hoping to re-display the form that netted him a runner-up finish in the country’s premier golfing event last May.
But he will be up against a field that includes the best – except for one – in the land, including Angelo Que, Frankie Minoza, Jhonnel Ababa, Artemio Murakami, Elmer Salvador, Tony Lascuna, Mars Pucay, Gerald Rosales, Mhark Fernando and teener Miguel Tabuena.
“It will be tough but I’m looking forward to playing well and closing out the season with a victory,” said Bayron, who also won the season-ending leg of the Pilipinas Golf Tournament Inc.-organized circuit at Canlubang last year to beat Juvic Pagunsan for the Order of Merit crown.
The field, meanwhile, gets to test the course in today’s (Tuesday) traditional pro-am tournament which features the leading pros and officials and
guests of the event’s chief backers, including International Container Terminal Services, Inc., MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, BDO, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, Omnisource International, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.
Although Pagunsan, winner of four legs this year, will not be around due to his suspension, the field remains teeming with talents with Que, Minoza, Salvador, Murakami, Pucay and Lascuna leading the veteran campaigners and three-leg winner Ababa, Del Monte leg champion Fernando and Tabuena heading the roster of rising stars.
The 17-year-old Tabuena, in fact, is coming off an impressive fourth place finish at Taiwan Masters three weeks ago where he won P1.3 million and emerged the top Filipino placer at joint 29th in last week’s Johor Open where he banked another P690,000, making him a worthy title contender in the 54-hole tournament.
While Bayron will be hard-pressed to atone for a failed bid at WW, Que and Minoza will be out to re-live their exploits on the course where they won the Phl Open diadems. Minoza won in 2007 for his second Phl Open crown while Que ruled in 2008.
Also in the fold is Dutch Guido Van der Valk, a regular campaigner in big-time local tournament, who is expected to crowd the top Filipino shotmakers in the event hosted by Wack Wack for the first time.(pr)

Minoza, Que join stellar ICTSI Wack Wack cast

Frankie Minoza and Angelo Que have confirmed participation in next week's rich ICTSI Wack Wack Championship, adding depth to the already talent laden field chasing the top P450,000 purse in the closing leg of the 2011 ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour on Nov. 23-25 at Wack Wack’s east course.
Minoza and Que hardly saw action in this year’s local circuit with the former shuttling from the US Seniors Tour and the Japan PGA Tour and the latter resuming his campaign on the Asian Tour though they always make themselves available to play here whenever they are free.
Que, in fact, started out the year with back-to-back victories, retaining The Country Club Invitational title and then winning the ICTSI Classic at Mt. Malarayat, the second leg of this year’s circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. He saw action in three other local legs but finished way below expectations and had similar so-so finishes on the Asian Tour with just one top 10 effort (joint ninth) at Avantha Masters in India.
Meanwhile, the traditional pro-am tournament will be held Nov. 22 featuring the leading pros and guests and officials from the event's chief backers, including MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.

"It's going to be an exciting tournament, everybody is here and Frankie and Angelo are two of the players to watch out. However, the course will be challenging for all the players, making it an anybody's game," said Colo Ventosa, general manager of the organizing PGT.

Minoza, on the other hand, finished fifth in the ICTSI Orchard Championship and played in two more local legs before campaigning in the US and Japan.
Both are tipped to contend for the crown in the 54-hole event sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. offering a total prize fund of P2.5 million, matching the richest purse staked on the tour at Orchard.
For one, both have reigned at Wack Wack with Minoza winning his second Philippine Open crown in 2007 and Que topping the country’s premier event in 2008. They, however, struggled in this year’s Open, also at Wack Wack, with Minoza finisheing in joint 44th and Que winding up in joint 55th.
Jay Bayron was the best-placed Filipino in the last Phl Open, losing the title to American Berry Henson by just one stroke although he remains a top title contender in the upcoming event which closes out the 16-leg ICTSI PGT.
Teener Miguel Tabuena, toughened up his stints on the Asian Tour and Asian Development Tour, is also in the fold along with Asian Tour regulars Elmer Salvador, Tony Lascuna, Artemio Murakami, guaranteeing a fierce battle for top honors in the blue-ribbon event.
Three-leg winner Jhonnel Ababa is also out to atone for his mediocre finish at ICTSI Canlubang while Mhark Fernando, Jerson Balasabas, Marvin Dumandan, Anthony Fernando, and Robert Pactolerin and Cassius Casas, also winners of the Phl Open at Wack Wack in 1990 and 2001, respectively, are also expected to join the title hunt.(pr)

Murakami ends slump, posts 8-shot romp

Artemio Murakami (center) holds his trophy after dominating the field in the P1 million BDO Canlubang Golf Invitational, his first victory on the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour at Cangolf's south course yesterday. With him are Cangolf general manager Luigi Yulo (left) and BDO marketing group head Paquito Vista.

CANLUBANG – Artemio Murakami snapped a year-long title drought with an imposing eight-shot victory in the P1 million BDO Canlubang Golf Invitational, outclassing a slew of club bets, including Richard Sinfuego and Jerson Balasabas, with a closing six-under 66 at Cangolf’s south course here, Friday.
Murakami whisked off a token challenge from Tomokazu Yoshinaga of Japan with a solid 33 at the front then strolled to the year’s second most lopsided victory with no one from among his pursuers able to put up a fight.
He wound up with a 14-under 202 total and won by eight over Sinfuego and Balasabas, who had 210s after a pair of 68s, for the second biggest margin of victory next to Elmer Salvador’s 12-shot win, over Murakami and Mars Pucay, at ICTSI Sherwood last September.
It was also his first win on the three-year-old ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour.
“I feel like, finally my dream is coming through,” said Murakami after annexing his first victory since topping the 
all-Filipino Philippine Open last December. “This is my first win on the PGT and my first since the Phl Open.”
Although the top P200,000 purse hardly boosted his ranking in the Order of Merit - he moved up to No. 10, the win should fire up the 28-year-old Fil-Japanese heading to the final leg of the 16-stage circuit, organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournament Inc., at Wack Wack on Nov. 23-25.
Murakami used a course-record eight-under 64 to launch his bid in the 54-hole tournament sponsored by BDO and though he slowed down with a 72 in the second round, he remained in firm control as the rest failed to press on their respective bids.
Yoshinaga, who started the final round just three shots behind Murakami, wilted under pressure and reeled back with a 40, finishing with a 76 and tumbling to joint seventh with Terence Macatangay, who had a 74, at 215.
Balasabas and Sinfuego, who flashed their local knowledge of the layout with 68 and 69 in the first round only to fumble with 74 and 73, respectively, in the next day, regained their form but their 68s were still overshadowed by Murakami’s 66. Each got P92,500.
Zanie Boy Gialon shot a 75 for a 223 to claim the low amateur honors, his third straight after topping the ICTSI Calatagan leg and the Samsung Amateur Open last month.
James Ryan Lam rallied with a 69 and snatched solo fourth at 213 worth P50,000 while Robert Pactolerin, who nipped Tony Lascuna in a four-hole playoff at ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic, and Elmer Saban shot similar 70s to share fifth place at 214. Each received P37,500.
Peter Villaber fired a 69 and tied Anthony Fernando and Arnold Villacencio, who both had 74s, at ninth at even par 216 in the 54-hole event backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.
Mhark Fernando and Jhonnel Ababa, two of the fancied players earlier tipped to contend for the crown owing to their familiarity with the course they call home, failed to live up the hype. Fernando made a 75 and ended up in joint 15th at 218 while Ababa, winner of two of the last three legs of the circuit, hobbled with a 77 and wound up in 34th with a 224.(pr)

Murakami sets course record 64, leads by 3

BALASABAS

MURAKAMI

CANLUBANG – Artemio Murakami rode on a rare seven-birdie binge at the back to fire a course-record eight-under 64 and post a three-stroke lead over Anthony Fernando at the start of the P1 million BDO Canlubang Golf Invitational at Cangolf’s south course here, Wednesday.

Murakami bucked a late tee-time and frolicked with a superb backside stint on a hot, wind-less day, closing out with a circuit-best 29 highlighted by a stirring seven-birdie run from No. 11 that turned an otherwise mediocre stint into a spectacular round.

The 64 came as a big surprise for the power-hitting Fil-Japanese shotmaker, who scored two wins last year, including the all-Filipino Philippine Open, but remained winless in the season marred by a series of missed cut stints on the Asian Tour.

“Tsamba lang (It was pure luck),” said Murakami, whose career-best, however, was a 62 when he reigned at The Country Club Invitational in 2009.

But this one should fire up the 28-year-old Murakami, whose best finish in this year’s ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour was a joint runner-up effort at ICTSI Sherwood won by Elmer Salvador in record 10-shot fashion. On the Asian Tour, where he scored a breakthrough win in the 2007 Johor Open, he missed the cut seven times in nine appearances.

He birdied No. 9 to snap a run of pars then after missing a 10-footer for birdie on the 10th, he knocked down a four-footer on No. 11 and went on a spree, including a 15-yard putt on the par-3 13th, to establish a new course mark.

Fernando, coming off a joint runner-up finish in last Sunday’s Sabah Masters, birdied the first three holes at the front and added two more for an opening 31. But after scoring an eagle-2 on No. 12 with a 56-degree wedge shot from 120 yards that spun back and disappeared into the hole, the former national champion made two three-putt bogeys for a 36 and a 67.

For a while, Jerson Balasabas appeared headed to gaining first day honors in the 54-hole event sponsored by Banco de Oro as he made a 68 in an early morning flight while Richard Sinfuego put himself in early contention with a 69.

But the duo had to give way to Murakami and Fernando, who shared the lead at six-under in one stretch until Murakami sustained his fiery charge and Fernando wavered on his homeward trip.

However, two of the fancied bets, who like Balasabas and Sinfuego call the par-72 layout their home, fell way behind with over-par scores with Mhark Fernando fumbling with a 7 on the par-4 16th for a 74 and Jhonnel Ababa closing out with a 42 at the front for a 77.

Ababa, coming off a six-shot romp over Mhark Fernando and Tony Lascuna at ICTSI Calatagan two weeks ago, birdied Nos. 14 and 15 to negate a bogey on the 13th but dropped three strokes in the first six holes at the front before fumbling with a triple-bogey seven on No. 7 for a 42.

Fernando, another favorite in the event sponsored by BDO, also made a seven on a lost ball after hitting a tree on his approach on the par-4 No. 16.

Seven players turned in one-under 71s, including Rey Pagunsan, Elmer Saban, Gene Bondoc, Robert Pactolerin, Richard Abaring and unheralded Terence Macatangay and amateur Alex Nallos while Ferdie Aunzo, Rufino Bayron, Tomokazu Yoshinaga and Gary Sales all matched par 72.

The tournament is backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.(pr)

FERNANDO

Davao's Ababa seeks 4th win at BDO Cangolf Invit’l

With two wins in the last three legs on the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour, Davao's Jhonnel Ababa shoots for another one – and a possible shot at the Order of Merit crown – when the P1 million BDO Canlubang Golf Invitational Presented by ICTSI is fired off Nov. 9 at the Canlubang Golf and Country Club’s north course in Laguna.

Ababa’s six-shot romp over Tony Lascuna and Mhark Fernando at ICTSI Calatagan last week – his third victory after scoring his maiden win at ICTSI Iloilo and ruling the ICTSI Riviera leg, moved the Davaoeno shotmaker to No. 3 in the OOM ranking for a crack at the coveted OOM crown with two legs left in the 16-stage circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

With P976,956 in earnings, the 24-year-old Ababa still stood half-a-million peso behind frontrunning Juvic Pagunsan, who remained on top despite being out of the last six tournaments due to suspension. Pagunsan has amassed a total winnings of P1,474,604 on four leg wins and two runner-up finishes.

Elmer Salvador, winner of the OOM crown when the International Container Terminal Services, Inc. revived the pro circuit in 2009, is at No. 2 with P1,012,019. But focus will be on Ababa, who will not only be carrying the momentum of his big win at Calatagan but will also be playing on a course he is so familiar with.

Aside from the Batangas layout, Cangolf has also been home not only to Ababa but to the other former members of the national team, including Lascuna, Fernando, Jay Bayron, Richard Sinfuego, Jerson Balasabas and Rey Pagunsan.

That could set the stage for a wide-open battle for the top P200,000 prize in the P1 million event although Ababa will still be the marked man owing to his form and confidence.

Ababa needs a strong finish in Canlubang and a victory at Wack Wack later this month to get a shot at the OOM title. Being the final leg and hosting a leg on the circuit for the first time, the Wack Wack Golf Invitational is offering a whopping P2.5 million total prize fund with the winner taking home P450,000.

That also keeps the fourth-running Bayron (P963,494) and No. 5 Lascuna (P878,719) in the hunt for the OOM plum although the duo needs no less than a sweep of the last two legs to contend for the crown.

Marvin Dumandan, running sixth in the OOM standing with P582,572, is also due for a win while Fernando, in seventh with P524,864 winnings, seeks a follow-up to his breakthrough win at ICTSI Del Monte.

Casas is also raring to end a long title drought and hopes to vie for the title and improve his No. 8 ranking with P507,754, while Anthony Fernando is at ninth place with P439,705 and Rufino Bayron is at No. 10 with P357,804 in earnings.

The event is backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.(pr)

Davao's Ababa coasts to 6-shot romp for 3rd ICTSI crown

CALATAGAN, Batangas – Davao's Jhonnel Ababa bucked a shaky start with a fiery windup to rout the field with a closing 71 and annex his third leg victory on the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour via a six-shot victory over Mhark Fernando and fellow Dabawenyo Tony Lascuna in the ICTSI Calatagan Challenge here.

What had appeared to be a wild finish turned into one-man show as Ababa rebounded from an opening 38 with three birdies in the first four holes at the back, frustrating erstwhile pursuer Cassius Casas and a charging Fernando to complete a wire-to-wire victory in the P1 million tournament.

He pooled a 206 and beat Fernando and Lascuna, who both carded 71s, by six for the top P200,000 purse – his third leg victory in the 16-stage circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. after ruling the ICTSI Iloilo and ICTSI Riviera stages in close fashions.

“Medyo sinuwerte na lang sa backnine,” said the soft-spoken Ababa, who is expected to move up to No. 3 from No. 5 in the Order of Merit ranking with two legs left in the circuit sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.

Fernando, six shots behind Ababa at the start of the final round, rallied to within two with a solid 34 but fumbled with a 37 at the back while Casas moved within a stroke at the turn but faded with a double-bogey, par, bogey-bogey start at the back and limped home with a 77.

Fernando and Lascuna wound up with 212s and shared the combined prize of P185,000 while Anthony Fernando shot the day’s best score of 69 and salvaged joint fourth with Marvin Dumandan, who had a 75, at 213. Each got P45,000.

On hand during awards rites were ICTSI PR mananger Narlene Soriano and Calatagan general manager Dave Hernandez.

“It’s not yet my time but I know it will come,” said Mhark Fernando, who had hoped to add the crown to his maiden win at ICTSI Del Monte recently.

Casas tumbled to joint sixth at 214 in the company of Ebarra Quiachon, who fired a 70, and Joenard Rates and Jun Bernis, who both had 75s while Elmer Saban and Ferdie Aunzo shared 10th place at 215 after 73 and 74, respectively.

Zanie Boy Gialon pocketed his second amateur crown in as many weeks as the reigning Samsung Am champion made a 77 for a 222 for joint 24th overall, beating ICTSI-The Country Club teammate Alex Nallos, who skied to an 80-226, by four for low amateur honors.

Ababa, who had anchored his bid in the first two rounds with solid stints at the frontside, turned in an uncharacteristic 38 marred by back-to-back bogeys from No. 8, enabling Casas to threaten within one with a 37 and Mhark Fernando to close within two with a 34.

But that was the closest that his rivals could get as Ababa regained his touch, rhythm and all and rammed in those birdies inside six feet to foil his rivals and record another win in the event backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.(pr)