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)

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)

UPAA-Davao Tee-for-Two Golf Tournament on Saturday

The UP Alumni Association-Davao holds its "Tee-for-Two" golf tournament on Saturday, 15 October 2011 at the Apo Golf and Country Club, Bago Aplaya, Davao City. According to Committee Chairman Eugene T. Go, the tournament is open to alumni, friends and interested tournament players. Tournament beneficiaries are the UPAA-Davao Math Literacy Project and the UP Mindanao Oblation Plaza. The tournament is open to both male and female amateur golfers. Entrance fee is P2.500. Registration is at 5:30-6AM and Tee-Off Time will be at 6AM and 11AM. Dinner and Awarding will be at Garden Oases Resort at 6:30PM.

The Tournament Format will adopt the 18-Hole System 36 Best Ball Team Competition with two players to a team. Mulligan fee of P200.00 entitles the player to one  mulligan per nine holes. Trophies will be awarded to each of the Gross Champions, Gross Runners-Up, Net Champions and Net Runners-Up for Classes A, B, and C. Special Prizes will be given for "Nearest the Pin" and "Hole in One", both in Hole no. 11. Mulligan not counted as hole-in-one. Major and Minor Raffle Prizes will be given away to the lucky winners during the Awards Dinner at Garden Oases Resort at 6:30 PM.

Sponsorship packages are available for Eagle sponsor, Birdie sponsor and Par sponsor. Interested parties may contact Ludwig Ruyeras at 221-0577 or 0917-632-3202.(pr)

Crown slips from Davao's Salvador; Bayron is champion

CEBU – Jay Bayron scorched the backside with a sizzling five-under 30 and completed a bogey-free 64 to post a whopping five-stroke victory over Jonathan Moore and Elmer Salvador and retain the Aboitiz Invitational presented by ICTSI 2011 crown at the Cebu Country Club.

Bayron’s stirring windup turned what was expected to be a wild finish in the $65,000 event into a rout as he sped away with five birdies, including three straight from No. 15, to become the first player to win the first Philippine event to be featured on the Asian Development Tour.

His 64 gave him a 72-hole aggregate of two-under 278, five ahead of Salvador, Moore, Tony Lascuna and Marvin Dumandan, who all had 283s in the event sponsored by Aboitiz Equity Ventures.

Bayron, who also beat absentee Juvic Pagunsan by two in last year’s inaugurals of the event, presented by International Container Terminal Services, Inc., on the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour, took home $11,375.

“My iron game and putting clicked,” said Bayron, who birdied No. 10 to go1-up over Salvador and two ahead Moore then rolled in a par-saving putt from 21 feet on No. 11 to pad his lead.

But Bayron said it was his 5-iron tee-shot on the par-3 13th that stopped six feet off the cup for another birdie that keyed his victory as he built enough lead to cushion a possible fightback by his rivals.

But no such rally came. Instead, Bayron added two more birdies on Nos. 14 and 15 to wrap up the crown, his first in the year after finishing second to Berry Henson in the ICTSI-Philippine Open last May at Wack Wack.

“My par-saving putt on No. 11 was crucial but the key was my birdie on No. 13, it gave me a three-shot cushion,” said Bayron, who tied Salvador for the lead at the turn, took the lead with a birdie on No. 10, built another cushion with another birdie on the 13th before storming away with that title-clinching three-birdie string.

“Jay is fun to watch. He had a great round of golf today. A 64 was really special and I enjoyed watching how well he played being alongside with him,” said Moore.

For the fourth straight day, Salvador was hounded by poor putting, saying: “I still can’t get my putting worked. I told myself that I needed a birdie on the final hole but still failed to sink an eight-footer.”

Salvador and Moore, who started the final round one ahead of Bayron, closed out with identical 70s and wound up tied for second at 283 with Lascuna and Dumandan, who both carded 67s.

Lascuna and Dumandan, in a flight ahead of the championship group, actually moved within one off Bayron with a 33 at the front. But Lascuna turned in just one birdie at the back for a 33-34 round and Dumandan missed gaining solo second with a bogey on the final hole.

Cassius Casas rallied with two birdies in the last five holes to shoot a 68 and claimed solo sixth place with a 284 while Rufino Bayron carded a 71 for solo seventh at 286.

Unheralded Ebarra Quiachon matched par 70 to turn in a top 10 finish in a big tournament at eighth with a 287 while Mithun Perera of Sri Lanka was the next top foreign finisher in the event after Moore at joint ninth at 288 with Jhonnel Ababa (71) as he made a 72.

The event was 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)

Salvador-Ledesma takes charge in Samsung pro-am

DAVAO – Elmer Salvador and Ludwig Ledesma combined for a two-under par 70 in tough condition to wrest a one-stroke lead over the Raul Miñoza-Bunny Abaño pair at the start of the Samsung-Emcor Davao National Pro-Am presented by Samsung at the Apo Golf and Country Club here, Thursday.
Salvador, who shot an eight-under 64 to finish second to Juvic Pagunsan in the ICTSI Apo Invitational three weeks ago, and Ledesma rallied with a 34 at the backside to emerge the leading pair in a 90-team starting field in the 54-hole P1 million tournament played under the alternate-shot format.
Raul Minoza and Bunny Abaño combined for a 35 at the front to finish with a 71 while only three teams matched par as the tour’s big guns struggled with their respective amateurs, who include leading players in the ranks, on a tight course made tougher and longer by overnight rains.
Antonio Asistio II and Brent Sumampong, and Jun Bernis and Toffee Tionko strung up identical 36-36 rounds while Ernie Rellon and top amateur Marcel Puyat, on a break from his studies at Stanford U, overcame a 38 at the front with a 34 for joint third.
In the hunt with 73s are the pairs of Eddie Bagtas-Aris Mata, Ramil Bisera-Toshiaki Shinmura, Boboy Jaraula-Raymond Jaraula, and Randy Garalde-Ryan Co, while the Jong Laput-Rex Goquinco and Dodot Ababa-Vincent Gumapac tandems stood at 74 and Larry Villasencio and Ariel Villasencio made a 75.
Pagunsan, winner of the ICTSI Apo leg of the Philippine Golf Tour the past three years, struggled in his partnership with Rico Cajili in the foursomes format, hobbling with an 82 to fall 12 shots off the pace.
Jay Bayron and Alemar Etrone fumbled with a 40 at the front and wound up with a 76 to join the group of Cassius Casas-Benjie Senining, Charles Hong-Zanie Boy Gialon, and Sonny Villaber-Gen Nagai.
“The course is tough due to rains the past few days,” said Casas, one of the local bets tipped to contend for the top P172,000 crown in the event sponsored by Samsung and held in coordination with top retail network Emcor.
Frankie Minoza and Ting Castillo sputtered at the back with a 41 but salvaged a 77, the same output put in by Tony Lascuna and Jun Serado, Richard Sinfuego and Bobby Iñigo, and Fernando Lumawag and Julius Susarno.
Mhark Fernando, coming off a big victory in the ICTSI Del Monte Classic in Bukidnon last week, also had an awful start with partner Bong Cabang as the duo made an 83.
Most of the big guns also wavered with homegrown bets Tony Lascuna carding a 77 with partner Jun Serado, Ferdie Aunzo and Monchit Mocay shooting a 78, Anthony Fernando and Larry Pasquil making a 79, and Jhonnel Ababa, winner of the ICTSI Iloilo stage, and Benjie Leparto had an 81 in a tie with Marvin Dumandan-Anthony Sasin and six others.
Other backers of the tournament are Kawasaki, Apo Golf and Country Club, Cargo Serv, Goetz, Transworld, Malayan Insurance, Dasia Security, LVL Construction and Vigor Construction while minor sponsors are Skygo, Camel, JD Alvarado Architects, RDV Printing, Koppel, Unicenter, The Hive, Business Mirror, Microtel Davao, Air Philippines Express, Footjoy and TItleist by Empire Golf, Mizuno, Custom Clubmakers, Glucoscare and Omnisource Int'l.(pr)

GDAP stages 16th RP Int'l Golf Show in Sept.

Golf Distributors Association of the Philippines announces the staging of the 16th Philippine International Golf Show on September 9 to 11 at the SMX Convention Center in SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City, Metro Manila.  

"We would like to invite golfers from Davao, General Santos, Cagayan de Oro and the rest of Mindanao to visit Manila in time for this year's biggest golf show," says GDAP president Raymund Atendido.
  
He added that with the major price slash downs, freebies and other promos to be offered by major golf brands including Nike Golf, Adams Golf, Bridgestone Golf, Ping, Mizuno, Taylor Made, Maruman, Fourteen, Callaway, Phiten, Oakley and Loro, the annual golf show is definitely the best place to shop whether for an equipment upgrade or for gifts to fellow golfers, family or friends.  It will be worth their while to visit Manila all the way from Mindanao.


GDAP members Acro Golf, Aetna Manila, Besa’s Shoes, Great Depot, Pacsports, Pauline’s Group Inc., Master Sports, Raymundo’s Trophies & Sculptures, RMA Trading, Transview Golf lead the roster of golfshow exhibitors to fill in more than 120 booths at the show.

Golf course managers are invited to reserve slots for the free seminar entitled “Irrigation of Tropical Landscapes and Turfgrass: Is it really necessary?” with guest speaker Prof. Robert Morris, a Horticulture Specialist and Associate Professor Emeritus of University of Nevada whose list of clientele includes 9 of the major golf courses in Las Vegas.  Only the first 50 to register will be accommodated.  Certificate of attendance will be given to all seminar participants.

For inquiries and slot reservation, call Golfshow Secretariat at (02) 5848317 or register at www.gdap.org.(pr)