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)