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

Rising stars ready for Aboitiz Invit’l

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)

Pagunsan, Murakami storm ahead

Artemio Murakami

Juvic Pagunsan

BINANGONAN, Rizal – Juvic Pagunsan switched into a winning mode again, shooting a five-under par 66 and sharing the lead with a charging Artemio Murakami, who fired an eagle-aided 67, in the second round of the P1 million ICTSI Eastridge Classic at the Eastridge Golf Club here, June 2.
A double bogey mishap on the par-4 No. 15 marred what could’ve been another record feat by the smooth-swinging Pagunsan, who birdied seven of the first 14 holes in impressive fashion to jump from joint 13th to the top of the heap at 137 as erstwhile joint leader Arnold Villacencio stumbled with a one-over 72 and tumbled to third at 139.
The sizzling round thrust Pagunsan, who opened with a 71, into another shot at the crown worth P200,000 in the fourth leg of the 17-stage ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour. He won the kickoff leg at Royal Northwoods, missed the cut at ICTSI Malarayat then whipped the field at Orchard, where he set a record nine-under 63 at the Palmer course in the final round to dominate the P2.5 million event, the richest leg so far in the four-year circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
Murakami, who shot a 70 in the first round, actually wrested the lead with a solid 31 at the front but made a bogey on the 17th and dropped into a share of the lead with Pagunsan.
“I didn't know that I have the lead before the 17th but I know I'm doing well," said Murakami, seeking an end to a long title drought on the local tour sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.
"I miscalculated the wind completely on that hole," said Murakami, adding that he needs to shoot a lower, better score today to stop the streaking Pagunsan.
“Juvic is really playing great golf this year,” he said.
Villacencio recovered from three straight bogeys from No. 9 with back-to-back birdies from No. 12, salvaging a one-over 72 and staying in the hunt for a breakthough win at 139, two shots behind, heading into the final round of the 54-hole tournament.
Teener Miguel Tabuena, in his fifth tournament since turning pro last March, shot a second straight 70 to trail the joint leaders by three with a 140, the same output turned in by Jhonnel Ababa and the comebacking Marvin Dumandan, who both fired 69s.
Tabuena, who underwent a swing change through British coach Shane Ward, actually had the chance to close in the leaders but dropped a shot on the final hole.
"I'm starting to get comfortable with my new swing, it's my patience that I'm trying to improve on," said Tabuena, a silver medalist in last year’s Guangzhou Asian Games.
Richard Sinfuego, who shared the opening day lead with Villacencio with 67s, floundered with a 74 and slipped to 141 into the company of last leg's runner-up Elmer Salvador, who had a 70, Rufino Bayron, who hobbled with a 72, and Ferdie Aunzo, who carded a 68
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

Murakami cops Open plum, foils Dabawenyo, Tabuena

Artemio Murakami kept the momentum of his fiery third round charge
and closed out with a bogey-free 68, bagging the Philippine Open title via a
two-stroke victory over last year’s winner Elmer Salvador of Davao City at the Valley Golf
Club course in Antipolo, Saturday.
Sustaining the form that netted him a seven-under 65 Friday and pulled him
within one off Salvador and amateur Miguel Tabuena, Murakami outgunned the
erstwhile joint leaders with four birdies in the first 10 holes then hung tough
with clutch pars to annex the crown on a 72-hole aggregate of 11-under 277.
He won P350,000, lower than the P448,500 bounty he pocketed in winning the
Mercedes Benz Tour leg at Manila Southwoods early in the year. But his Open romp
enabled him to join the elite circle of winners in the country’s premier golfing
event long considered as Asia’s oldest championship.

"Its all about focus,” said Murakami after completing his comeback from the back
of the pack fuelled by a stirring 65 in the third round. “I guess it was my
focus in the final two days that did it for me."

Salvador, who kept the rallying Murakami at bay with a gutsy 70 Friday, birdied
No. 2 but reeled back in the face of Murakami’s sustained charge. He birdied the
par-3 18th from 12 feet for a 71 and a 279, settling for a runner-up finish
worth P224,400.
Two-time champion Frankie Minoza, whom Murakami looks up to as idol and mentor,
shot a 70 for solo third at 280 worth P125,000.
"I'm happy with my effort," said Minoza, who is set to join the US Seniors
Champions Tour next year.
Murakami, who regained his Asian Tour card by topping the Qualifying School last
January but has struggled on the region’s lucrative circuit all season long,
calmly made a three-foot par putt on the 18th then raised his hands – the left
holding his trusted putter and the right his black visor – in triumph before a
big appreciative crowd that included Minoza, who has seen his ward blossomed
from a mediocre golfer into a seasoned player.
"It's a good feeling to finally win it," said Murakami, who birdied Nos. 3, 4, 6
and 10 to wrest control of the big number of title contenders.
He added that luck also played a role in his title win as three of his drives
bounced back onto the fairway after hitting the trees. “I guess I got a bit
lucky, too,” he said.
Murakami's win also foiled Salvador's bid to become the Open's first
back-to-back winner since the late Celestino Tugot won four straight from 1955.
"I tried my best to win it again this year but he (Murakami) really played
well," said the soft-spoken Salvador, who fell short of his bid to give himself
another big birthday present today the way he did last year when he topped last
year’s Open at Mt. Malarayat,

Tabuena, who humbled the pros with a 67 in the third round to tie Salvador at
the helm, cracked with a 73 and settled for fourth overall with a 281, still a
big feat for a 16-year-old wonder who won the silver medal in the recent Asian
Games.
Tabuena also bungled his chance to become the Open’s first amateur champion
since Hsu Sheng San of Chinese Taipei won in 1967.
"I missed the fairways early, maybe that cost me my chance," said Tabuena, who
ran away with the low amateur honors, four clear off James Wang.
"But overall, I'm happy with the way I performed considering what happened today
(yesterday)," he said.
Orlan Sumcad and Richard Sinfuego wound up joint fifth at 282 after a 72 and 71,
respectively.

Former champion Cassius Casas fired a tournament-best nine-under 63 to salvage
joint seventh with Elmer Saban, who matched par 72, at 284.
Rounding up the Top 10 with 285s were Joenard Rates (71), Wang (69) and Ferdie
Aunzo (69) while Marvin Dumandan and Mhark Fernando wound up with 286s after 75
and 73, respectively.(pr)