Foo wavers in rain but hacks out 2-shot win

Gregory Foo of Singapore (second from right) and Lovelynn Guioguio display their trophies after topping their respective divisions in the Philippine Amateur Open Golf Championship at Canlubang's north course yesterday. With them are tournament director Tommy Manotoc, also head of NGAP's youth development and national training pool, and Globe's Business chief Jesus Romero.

CANLUBANG – Gregory Foo squandered a six-shot lead as he floundered in the rain but held his ground in a nerve-wracking backside duel to thwart Jobim Carlos and Clyde Mondilla and capture the Philippine Amateur Open golf crown despite a closing seven-over 79 at Cangolf’s north course Sunday.

Foo, who looked headed for a runaway win after storming ahead by six after 54 holes, found the going tough early as rains pounded the par-72 layout, sending the Singapore ace tumbling down with a 40 at the turn and the title race into a three-man affair.

But Mondilla, who tied Foo despite a bogey at the par-3 No. 11, blew his bid with a triple-bogey on No. 13 while Carlos, who moved within two with nine holes to play, reeled back with back-to-back bogeys from No. 12 and flubbed two birdie putts in the last three holes.

In contrast, Foo rebounded from a disastrous double-bogey mishap on No. 11 and a bogey on No. 14 with clutch par putts in the last four holes, netting him the crown with a 287 aggregate in the tournament presented by Globe Telecom, Inc., Pancake House and Airphil Express.

“I struggled all day since I’m not used to playing in the rain,” rued Foo.

Carlos and Mondilla pounced on Foo’s shaky start to revive the local bets’ bid with the former, winner of the NGAP National Doubles crown last week, turning in a gutsy 36 and the latter hitting birdies on Nos. 7 and 8 for a 35.

But the duo sputtered in the end with Carlos, who birdied the par-5 17^th, flubbing two makeable birdie putts on Nos. 16 and 18, for a 75 and a 289.

Mondilla sparked hopes of a big finish when he caught up with Foo after No. 11. But the former national champion dropped a stroke on the next and failed to check his skid with a triple-bogey seven on No. 13. He closed out with a 76 for third at 290.

Jerome Ng carded a 73 and wound up fourth at 291 followed by Choi Jae Seung (76-293), Raymund Gonzales (78-296), Justin Quiban (74-296), Miko Alejandro (81-297), Gio Gandionco (75-297) and Rupert Zaragosa (77-297).

In ladies play, top ICTSI bet Lovelyn Guioguio birdied the first two holes and went on to fire a one-under 71 then watched erstwhile leader Sarah Ababa and chief rival Dottie Ardina sky with an 81 and 84, respectively, to run away with the crown in the tournament backed by backed by Tanduay Distillers, Inc. as major sponsor and supported by Club Car, Pacsports, Golf Depot, Autohub and Callaway with Acacia Hotel as official hotel and Titleist as official ball.

Guioguio, who led in the first round but slid to second Friday, dished out a superb game in tough playing condition that bedeviled the games of Ababa and Ardina to finish the 54-hole event with a 219 for a six-shot romp over last year?s champion Andie Unson, who matched par 72 for a 225 in the tournament organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Phils.

Princess Superal carded a 75 and wound up third at 226 while Sunshine Baraquiel placed fourth with a 227 after a 74. Ababa tumbled down to fifth with a 228 while Ardina finished way down in seventh at 234 next to Jayvie Agojo, who had a 233 after an 82.

Clare Legaspi had an 80 for a 236 while Anne Sabater made a 75 to tie Juily Vasandarni, who had a 79, at 238.(pr)

Dottie seeks first Phl Ladies Open crown

Dottie Ardina hopes to nail the only missing jewel in her wide trophy collection as she shoots for her first Philippine Ladies Open diadem against a tough international field beginning Jan. 11 at Wack Wack Golf and Country Club’s East course.

The many-time Junior World champion actually got a crack last year, taking charge in the first day only to lose steam in the last two rounds, losing by six to two-time champion Chihiro Ikeda at The Country Club.

But the 17-year-old spearhead of the ICTSI golf squad is all primed up this year, raring to open her campaign with a victory right on the golden staging of the country’s premier ladies golf championship sponsored by Champion Infinity.

“I’ve prepared hard for this and I’m in tip-top condition,” said Ardina. “But it will be tough since there are a lot of good players. Kung para sa akin, sa akin talaga, kung hindi okay lang.”

The reigning Queen Sirikit Cup champion will be facing a hordes of challengers in the 54-hole event organized by the Women’s Golf Association of the Phils., including fellow ICTSI teammates Andie Unson, Sarah Ababa, Sunshine Baraquiel, Lovelynn Guioguio and former champions Jayvie Agojo and Cyna Rodriguez.

The event also drew a slew of foreign players, including SEA Games silver medalist Pinrath Loomboonruang, who will lead a talent-laden Thailand squad out to end the Filipinas’ domination of the event.

Loomboonruang, who nipped Ardina for the individual gold medal in last year’s year’s Santi Cup, the ladies side of the Southeast Asia Amateur Golf Team Championship, is seeking to become only the third Thai player to win the country’s premier ladies championship after Rika Dila in 1984 and Yupaporn Kawinpakorn in 2007.

She will be joined in the title hunt by top jungolfers Savitree Thavong and Pathamaporn Ariyamatepreecha along with Suthavee Chanachai, Jittakarn Chandraviroj, Pornvipa Sakdee, Supamas Sangchan, Arporn Maneerux, Busara Tanphhipat, Molrudee Mahattanakul, Sasitorn Chokwatana and Sida Raksangob.

Also in the fold are Dutch Maureen Nijhof, Indonesians Sito Calcote and Victoria Chandra, Malaysians Edora Abdullah, Norlida Anis, Lynda Bala, Sylvia Belinggi, Sally Chai Mei Lin, Joan Chin, Annie Chin May Yong and Rabeahtul Dato, Vanessa Fitzgerald, Merina Gan, Wong Leh Hee, Alice Paran Tigan, Shirley Poh, Marilyn Raja, Sern Siew Kien, Maria Wong and Ireen Teng Kim Geok.

The other backers of the event are EEI, Nescafe, RCBC, De Capriccio Jewellers, Tres Palmas, Alabang Ladies Chapter, Canlubang Ladies Chapter, Forest Hills Ladies Chapter, Manila Golf Ladies Chapter, Sta. Elena Ladies Chapter and Tagaytay Highlands Ladies Chapter as hole sponsors.

Clubs all over the country will also be fielding their best bets in the Open, which will also feature the Class A and Class B events after the classification on the second day.
Playing are entries from Canlubang, Sta. Elena, Eagle Ridge, Southwoods, Valley Golf, Orchard, AFP Golf Club (formerly Aguinaldo GC), Riviera, Tagaytay Highlands, Alta Vista, ForestHills, Pueblo de Oro, Cangolf, Del Monte, Navy and Southwoods.(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)

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)

Fernando, Ababa duel looms at ICTSI-Calatagan

Mhark Fernando and Dabawenyo Jhonnel Ababa hope to flaunt their local knowledge of the Calatagan layout as they lead the title chase in the P1 million ICTSI Calatagan Challenge unfolding Oct. 26 in Batangas.

Fernando, Ababa and the rest of the ICTSI-Cangolf squad have made the challenging par-72 course their base during the National Caddies Open days where they honed their talent and skills, giving them an edge in terms of familiarity in the upcoming event.

Fernando is seeking a follow-up to his breakthrough victory at ICTSI Del Monte Championship last August where he beat current Order of Merit leader Juvic Pagunsan by one in Bukidnon.

The former national champion, however, groped for form in the succeeding legs of the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour, missing the cut at Aboitiz Invitational and winding up outside of the top 10 at ICTSI Riviera and ICTSI Sherwood legs.

Ababa, on the other hand, is looking for his third win in the circuit after nipping Jay Bayron at ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge and dominating the field at ICTSI Riviera Classic last month.

Meanwhile, some of the leading pros in the 69-player starting field get their chance to test the layout in the traditional pro-am tournament on Oct. 25 where they will be paired with the amateur players making up the roster of the event’s chief backers.

They include 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.

Also vying for the top P200,000 purse in the 14th leg of the 16-stage circuit are Jay Bayron, Tony Lascuña, Cassius Casas, Artemio Murakami, Antonio Asistio II, Rufino Bayron, Marvin Dumandan, Jun Bernis, Anthony Fernando, Gerald Rosales, Rey Pagunsan, Robert Pactolerin, Elmer Saban and Carl Santos-Ocampo.

From Calatagan, the tour shifts to Canlubang for the ICTSI Canlubang Golf Invitational on Nov. 9-11 before winding up at Wack Wack for the ICTSI Wack Wack Championship on Nov. 23-25.

Like the ICTSI Orchard Golf Championship, the Wack Wack event will offer a total prize fund of P2.5 million tournament with the winner receiving P450,000.(pr)

Davao's Ababa snatches win as Bayron cracks

SILANG, Cavite - Davao's Jhonnel Ababa rallied from seven strokes down and nipped townmate Cassius Casas by one with a closing one-under 70 for the ICTSI Riviera Classic crown as erstwhile leader Jay Bayron, another Dabawenyo, collapsed with an 81 at Riviera's Langer course here, Friday.
Ababa came through with three birdies in the last 11 holes in second-to-last flight to fuel his title bid then watched Bayron throw away strokes in the last six holes to snatch the crown, his second in the last five legs of the circuit. He wound up with a 217, four-over at the wind-raked, hazard-laden par-71 layout.
But it proved enough to secure a follow-up to his victory in the ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge at Sta. Barbara last July where he also fought back from five strokes down to beat Bayron in a playoff for his maiden win on the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.
"I was just lucky and Jay had a bad game," said Ababa, who banked another P200,000 from the total prize fund of P1 million in the 11th leg of the 16-stage tour sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.
Bayron, who appeared headed for another romp after storming to a five-shot lead over Rey Pagunsan and seven over Ababa with 18 holes to play, bogeyed the first three holes in windy condition, made another three-string bogey from No. 5 before dropping two strokes on No. 9 against a lone birdie on No. 8 for a horrible 42.
He birdied No. 10 but made four bogeys in the last six holes for that nine-over 81 in a bizarre fold-up from a player who routed the field at Aboitiz Invitational presented by ICTSI with a startling five-under 30 at the backside of Cebu Country Club three weeks ago.
"I had a tough day out there. The wind was so strong from the start," rued Bayron, whose championship flightmates Pagunsan and Anthony Fernando also turned in over-par rounds of 77 and 73, respectively.
Casas, who shared the first-round lead with Antonio Asistio II but reeled back with a 77 in the second round, three-putted No. 17 and missed forcing a playoff with Ababa. He also shot a 70 but fell short by one with a 218 worth P120,000.
"If not for my 77 in the second round, I would've won this one," said Casas, who last won at ICTSI Del Monte last year.
Playing in third to the last flight, Casas matched par 35 at the front to catch up with Ababa and made two birdies against a bogey at the back to remain tied for the lead. But he three-putted the 17th to fall behind and missed an eight-footer for birdie on the tough finishing hole.
Fernando settled for solo third with a 219 after a 73 while Bayron, the reigning Order of Merit champion, tumbled down to fourth with a 221.
Asistio carded a 74 and wound up tied for fifth with Richard Sinfuego (72) and Pagunsan (77) at 222 while Mhark Fernando matched Bayron's tournament-best 67 in the second round with his own four-under card as he salvaged solo eighth at 223.
Korean Wang Jeung Hun made a 74 and emerged the top amateur with a 224 as he shared ninth place with Randy Garalde (74) and Jerson Balasabas (75) in the tournament backed by 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.(pr)

Phl ladies collapse, lose by 1

HONG KONG – Thailand pounced on the Philippines’ backside meltdown to snatch a one-stroke victory with a closing 220 as the Filipina golfers fumbled with a 224 in the final of the Santi Cup of the Southeast Asian Amateur Golf Team Championship at the Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club here, recently.
Dottie Ardina went over par for the first time, finishing with a 72 but which still stood as the team’s best score as Andie Unson made a 75 and Chihiro Ikeda blew it all at the back with a 41 for a 77.
Jayvie Agojo also wavered at the finish and didn’t count with a 78.
The Philippines, which led by three heading to the final day on rounds of 207, 209, 213, wound up with an 853 and lost by one.
Thailand didn’t do well either, shooting a 219 after a 210, 208, 214. But the Thais cashed in on the Pinays’ collapse in the closing holes with Pavarisa Yoktuan and Panitta Yusabai clinching the win with final hole birdies.
Pinrath Loomboonruang, playing in the final flight with Ardina, holed out with a bogey to make it a one-shot win as she matched Ardina’s 72 while Yoktuan and Yusabai carded a 73 and 75, respectively, for a 220 and an 852 aggregate.
The Thais moved within one after nine holes but ICTSI-backed bets surged to a running seven-shot lead after the top two Phl scorers totaled one-over par before Ikeda stumbled with a double-bogey on No. 13.
Thailand started the backside with a combined seven-over card but re-grouped as Loomboonruang and Phaewchimplee both birdied No. 15 to bounce back.
Ikeda earlier bogeyed No. 14 which Agojo double-bogeyed before the latter dropped two more strokes in the last four holes and was scratched out.
“We were up by 7 before Ikeda made a double-bogey on No. 13. They simply collapsed,” rued ICTSI golf and national team coach Bong Lopez. “We just gave it to them.”
It was a sorry fold-up by the Filipinas, whose campaign was sanctioned by the National Golf Association of the Phils. and supported by ICTSI and the Philippine Sports Commission, who took the lead right in the first round and kept it with gutsy rounds in the next two days only to disintegrate when the going got tough.
Ardina, who earlier strung up impressive rounds of 68, 69, 69, also missed clinching the individual honors with a 277, losing by one to Loomboonruang, who had a 276.
Malaysia finished a far third at 877 after a 223 while Hong Kong wound up fourth with a 221 for an 880 followed by Singapore (215-883) and Indonesia (233-916).
Meanwhile, the Phl juniors team made a 234 and finished fourth in the Lion City Cup topped by Thailand, which had an 869 after a 220, beating Malaysia (220-872) by three. Indonesia placed third with an 888 after a 226 followed by Singapore (233-904) and Hong Kong (245-935).
Andres Saldaña’s 77 became the Phl’s best score as Gio Gandionco had a 78 and Rupert Zaragoza made a 79. Clyde Mondilla was out with an 80 in the event the Filipinos ruled in Malaysia last year.
The Putra Cup team of Zanie Boy Gialon (71), John Kier Abdon (75) and Art Arbole (75) wound up sixth in a field of seven, pooling a final round 221 for an 883, nipping Myanmar, which had an 885 after a 228.
Singapore held off Hong Kong, 216-218, to clinch the crown with an 846 with the hosts setting for runner-up with an 850. Indonesia placed third with an 860 after a 219 followed by Malaysia (220-862) and dethroned champion Thailand (221-880).(pr)

Dottie, Javyie hike Phl lead to 3

HONG KONG – Dottie Ardina shot a 68 and Jayvie Agojo bounced back with a 70 as the Philippines survived another backside meltdown with a 213 to pad its lead to three over Thailand in the third round of the Santi Cup of the Southeast Asia Amateur Golf Team Championships here, Thursday.
Andie Unson made a birdie-less 75, the same output put in by Dabawenya Chihiro Ikeda, who sputtered with a 39 at the back, including a final hole bogey, with one of those five-over cards counting for the team’s 213 and a 54-hole total of 629.
Thailand, two shots adrift at the start of the round, pressed its bid at the back despite falling farther behind by five after nine holes. But Pavarisa Yoktuan failed to match teammates Pinrath Loomboonruang and Panitta Yusabai’s solid finishes and ended up with a 38 for a 74.
Loomboonruang rebounded from a triple-bogey 8 on No. 2 with five birdies in the last 14 holes, finishing with a 68 and preserving a one-stroke lead (204) over Ardina (205) in the individual race. Yusabai fought back from a 39 with a 33 for a 72 while Yoktuan counted despite a 74 for Thailand’s 214 and 632.
“Chihiro simply lost her focus at the back, missing a lot of putts but Dottie remains as solid as ever. Jayvie also made a good account of herself after two poor rounds while I hope Andie to bounce back tomorrow (Friday),” said national team and ICTSI golf squad coach Bong Lopez.
The ICTSI-backed ladies team, whose campaign along with the men’s and junior squads, is sanctioned by the National Golf Association of the Phils. and supported by ICTSI and the Philippine Sports Commission, gained three more strokes over Thailand at the turn with an even-par aggregate as Ardina made a 33 and Agojo and Ikeda shot 36s. Unson made a 37.
But Ikeda made three straight bogeys from No. 11 and Unson bogeyed three of the first four holes. Agojo hit a birdie on No. 14 and parred the last four holes for a 70 while Ardina bogeyed No. 13 but birdie the 16th to preserve a two-under round.
 “This is very interesting. I missed a couple of birdie putts and made some poor shots but overall, it’s another good round,” said Ardina in Filipino.
Malaysia improved to third but stood too far behind at 654 after a 212, making the final round a shootout between the Filipinas and the Thais. Hong Kong slid to fourth with a 659 after a 229 followed by Singapore (223-668) and Indonesia (226-683).
Meanwhile, the national junior team moved one rung up to fourth with a 222 for a 667 but virtually yielded the Santi Cup crown as it remained 18 strokes behind Thailand.
The Putra Cup team, on the other hand, remained in the cellar with a 662 after a 219 although it closed within Thailand, which has a 659 after a 222, in a surprise duel of the region’s top teams at the tailend of the seven-team field with Myanmar barely ahead of the duo with a 657 after a 223.
Singapore unleashed a fiery third round charge as four players broke par with Jerome Ng’s 69 failing to count. Marc Ong led the attack with a 66, Tze Huang Choo shot a 67 and Gregory Foo carded a 68 for a nine-under 201 and a 54-hole aggregate of 630 as the Singaporeans grabbed a two-shot lead over halfway leader Hong Kong, who slid to second with a 632 despite a solid two-under 208.
Indonesia was far behind in third with a 641 after a 216 while Malaysia lay just a stroke behind at 642 after a 215.
Lloyd Go, a revelation from Cebu, matched par 70 to emerge the top scorer for the men’s team with Zanie Boy Gialon and Art Arbole adding 74 and 75, respectively, and John Kier Abdon out for the third straight time with a 78.
Andres Saldaña, meanwhile, led the juniors squad with a 73, Gio Gandionco made a 74 and either Rupert Zaragoza or Clyde Mondilla’s 75 counted for the team’s 222 and a 667.
The defending champion got past Singapore (229-671) and Hong Kong (231-693) but was too way behind Thailand, which braced for a final round shootout with Malaysia with a 649 after a 220. The Malaysians rallied with a 213 to move within three at 652. Indonesia is in third with a 662 after a 223.(pr)

Phl ladies eye breakthru in Santi Cup

Dottie Ardina and Dabawenya Chihiro Ikeda hope to dish out the game expected of them as the Philippines takes another crack at the Santi Cup, one of the three titles to be disputed in the Putra Cup, which gets going Monday at the Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club in Hong Kong.
Foiled in the first two editions of the event by the Thais, the Filipina golfers go all out this time with a strong roster that includes the two other spearheads of the ICTSI golf program – Andrea Unson and Jayvie Agojo.
The Phl ladies lost to the Thais by 11 strokes last year but are primed up for this week’s battle with ICTSI coach Bong Lopez expecting an explosive start for his star-studded crew.
“With their form and experience, I think we have a pretty good chance this year,” said Lopez.
Ikeda, the reigning Philippine Ladies Open champion, is coming off a victory in the Thailand Open and Selangor Open recently while Ardina, winner of this year’s Queen Sirikit individual crown, also ruled the recent San Diego Masters and made the finals of the US Girls Open.
Unson, on the other hand, is the reigning Philippine Amateur champion, while Agojo is the former Philippine Ladies Open champion who also won the New Zealand foursomes with Sarah Ababa.
The men's team, composed of Zanie Boy Gialon, Art Arbole, John Kier Abdon and LJ Go, also tries to end Thailand's domination of the Putra Cup, also known as the Southeast Asian Amateur Golf Team Championship. The Phl has not won the title since 1996 in Myanmar.
But focus will be on the junior squad, which sets out for a second straight championship in the Lion City Cup.
Led by Jobim Caros, the Phl held off Thailand's final round charge to win by four in Malaysia last year in a victory that made up for the men's and ladies squads' runner-up finishes in their respective events.
Reigning national champion Rupert Zaragoza will spearhead the squad this time in lieu of Carlos with support to come from former national titlist and last year's members Clyde Mondilla and Andres Saldana and Gio Gandiongco.
The delegation, headed by Tommy Manotoc and coaches Carito Villaroman (men's) and Boyet Zaragoza (juniors) left yesterday with the teams hoping to get at least two practice rounds at the tough layout.
The Phl contingent’s stint is sanctioned by the National Golf Association of the Phils. with NGAP president Leandro Mendoza expressing confidence of each team’s title chances in the four-to-play, three-to-count format event spread over four days.(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)

V’cencio upstages stellar field, leads by 1

CEBU – Unheralded Arnold Villacencio sneaked in a one-under 69 in challenging condition at the Cebu Country Club, moving past a slew of favorites and snatching a two-stroke lead over Marvin Dumandan at the start of the $65,000 Aboitiz Invitational presented by ICTSI 2011 here, Wednesday.
Villacencio, who also led in the ICTSI Eastridge leg of the local circuit last May but faded and settled for joint third, holed out with back-to-back birdies from No. 8, spiking a sterling frontside stint for the day’s lone under-par card at the par-70 course, whose tight fairways and tough greens bedeviled the games of the starting 102-player field in this leg of the Asian Development Tour.
“The key here actually is driving. But it’s still too early to tell (my chances) although it’s a good start,” said Villacencio in Filipino.
The Davao native appeared headed for a bleak one with early bogeys on Nos. 11 and 13 but he came through with birdies on Nos. 14 and 16 inside five feet, dropped another shot on the 18th before holing out with a four-footer and a tap-in birdie for a 33-36 round.
Dumandan, out to end a long title drought after annexing three leg victories on the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour last year, also leaned on a frontside rally of 33 to salvage an even par 70 as the rest either struggled with wayward shots to the greens or simply groped for form on the unpredictable putting surface.
“I hit just three greens so I guess I would have turned in a better score if I had hit more,” said Dumandan, another Davaoeno and one of the fancied bets in the 72-hole championship sponsored by Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV) and presented by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.
Jay Bayron took off from where he left last year and threatened to blow away the field in his title retention bid with a three-under 32. But he stumbled with five bogeys at the back, marred by three straight from No. 13, and needed to birdie the par-4 17th to save a round of 71.
He forged a four-way tie for third with fellow Davaoenos Cassius Casas, Edgar Ababa and Elmer Salvador, the pro-am winner last Tuesday, who turned in a one-under par at front but hobbled with two bogeys coming home.
“I’m satisfied with my performance although I didn’t play that well,” said Salvador in Filipino. “You need to have good iron shots and steady putting to do good here because the greens are really hard.”
Thailand’s Tony Mansuwan and American Jonathan Moore emerged the best placed foreigners in the fold, carding identical 72s for a share of seventh with local bets Randy Garalde, Antonio Asistio II and teener Miguel Tabuena, who is coming off a joint 14th place finish in Taiwan Championship last week.
birdied two of the first six holes at the front but dropped four strokes in the next five, including a wet double-bogey on the par-4 11th, and finished with a 72.
“If you get the wrong distance here, you have to hit it right so you can put enough spin on the ball,” said Tabuena, who was even par after nine holes but dumped his shot in the hazard on No. 11 for a double-bogey.
Australian Matt Docking made a 73 to join a big group of three-over scorers, who included Anthony Fernando, Albin Engino, Michael Bibat, Paulo San Gabriel, Raul Minoza, Rufino Bayron Jhonnel Ababa and Tony Lascuna.
Taiwanese Chiang Chen-chih, winner of the ADT‘s Transcend Open last May, hit two birdies but had two three-bogey strings in a punishing day, including from No. 7 that marred his windup at the front. He ended up with a 74. Some of the big guns sputtered in the early going of the 72-hole championship on a course that requires accuracy with Artemio Murakami hobbling with three bogeys after nine holes and limping with a 76.
Taiwanese Kao Shang Hung, winner of last week’s Ballantine's Taiwan Championship of the Asian Development Tour, suddenly withdrew from the tournament, apparently in disgust of a horrible a nine-over 44 score at the back.
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)

Aboitiz Invit’l unfolds; Juvic pulls out

Davao's Elmer Salvador

Chiang Chen-chih

CEBU – The $65,000 (P2.7 million) Aboitiz Invitational presented by ICTSI 2011 begins Wednesday, Aug. 31 with the local stars, despite their so-called home-court advantage at the Cebu Country Club here, facing an uphill battle against a crack international field with the last-minute withdrawal by ace Juvic Pagunsan.
Tipped as the best bet to record the first Filipino win on the Asian Development Tour, Pagunsan pulled out on the eve of the 72-hole championship, citing foot injury that has hampered his preparations for the first-ever Philippine event to be featured on the fledgling circuit.
Pagunsan has dominated the first half of the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour, winning four of the first nine legs and would have been a top contender for top honors in this penultimate leg of the ADT had he joined the starting 106-player field.
That includes Taiwanese Kao Shang-hung and Chiang Chen-chih, who are seeking their second leg victories on the circuit as spearheads a big foreign contingent in what promises to be a four-day shootout with the leading Filipino shotmakers on a tight course with unpredictable putting surface.
Kao, fresh from a one-stroke victory in the Ballantine’s Taiwan Championship of the ADT last week, drew a late tee-off time at 11:40 a.m. on No. 10 with ICTSI-Bacolod leg winner Robert Pactolerin and Rufino Bayron, while Chiang, winner of ADT’s fourth leg – the Transcend Open – last May, is featured in a tough group that includes Davao’s aces Tony Lascuna and Marvin Dumandan at 7:30 a.m., also on No. 10.
Mhark Fernando, coming off a breakthrough win in ICTSI-Del Monte two weeks ago, hopes to lead the local challenge in the absence of Pagunsan although lack of practice has slowed down the former amateur hotshot.
“I hardly played after I won in Del Monte but given the condition of the course, I think 10-under will win here,” said Fernando, during a break in yesterday’s pro-am, in Filipino.
Aside from Pagunsan, two other Filipino aces are not in the list with Angelo Que opting to compete in the Omega European Masters in Switzerland and Frankie Minoza vying in Japan although the locals’ roster remained as formidable as ever.
Jay Bayron, who ended a long title drought with a wire-to-wire triumph over Pagunsan here last year, takes aim for a second straight win although the 32-year-old Davaoeno has struggled the last few months, losing a playoff battle to Jhonnel Ababa at ICTSI-Iloilo, hobbling in joint 24th in the Thailand Open and finishing in joint 21st at ICTSI-Del Monte two weeks ago.
He starts out with American Matthew Rosenfeld and Fernando at 11:45 a.m. on No. 1 while teener Miguel Tabuena, 14th in Taiwan last week, hopes to come out strong in one of the early flights at 7:30 a.m. on No. 1 with ICTSI-Iloilo leg winner Jhonnel Ababa and Australian Matt Docking.
Artemio Murakami, the leading Filipino bet on the ADT, is raring to atone for a missed cut stint in Taiwan against Brunei’s Faiz Damit and Gene Bondoc in the 11:25 a.m. flight on No. 1 while another Filipino favorite, Elmer Salvador, sets out at 7:40 a.m. on No. 1 with Taiwanese Chang Tse-peng and Matt Freake of Australia.
Veteran Cassius Casas also hopes to contend for the crown along with fellow former Philippine Open champion Gerald Rosales, Mars Pucay, Ferdie Aunzo, Anthony Fernando, the comebacking Ramon Brobio, and young turks Carl Santos-Ocampo, Jerson Balasabas and Antonio Asistio II.
“My ball striking is okay, I think 16-under total will win here,” said Casas.
The event, sponsored by Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV) which is into power, financial services, food and transportation business and presented by International Container Terminal Services, Inc., 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)

Miguel Tabuena

Juvic cruises to 4-shot win over Salvador

Juvic Pagunsan displays his trophy as Jimmy Larrabaster (center), president of Apo Golf and Country Club, and Jules Domingo, general manager of DIPSSCOR, ICTSI Davao Unit, look on during awards rites of the ICTSI Apo Golf.

DAVAO - Juvic Pagunsan annexed his fourth leg title on the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour with a closing two-under 70 recently,  completing a wire-to-wire victory over a badly outclassed field that included the country's finest shotmakers in the ICTSI Apo Golf Invitational at the Apo Golf and Country Club here.
Not even Davaoeno's Elmer Salvador's bogey-free eight-under 64 could shake Pagunsan off his lofty perch as the ace shotmaker built a big cushion with a pair of 66s then played just good enough to add another P200,000 to his earnings and his third Apo crown to his trophy cabinet.
Unlike in his first two victories here, however, this one should rank high since he didn't only humble the cream of the crop with his solid all around game but outclassed them with a 14-under 202.
It was virtually over after 36 holes as Pagunsan took a whopping eight-shot lead over first round co-leader Jhonnel Ababa with Salvador too far behind at 10 adrift to ever mount a serious challenge over the last 18 holes.
Salvador did chop four strokes off Pagunsan's lead after nine holes with a 32 but ran out of holes and settled for the tournament-best 64 and the runner-up honors worth P120,000 with a 206.
Pagunsan fended off Salvador's threat with back-to-back birdies from No. 13 for that 70 while the former Philippine Open champion sustained his charge with four birdies at the back, including three straight from No. 16.
Ababa, who nipped Jay Bayron to record his first pro win in the ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge last month, shot a 69 and wound up third at 209 worth P65,000.
The win was Pagunsan's fourth after eight legs of the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc., firming up his claim as the most dominant player on the tour. He earlier topped the Royal Northwoods, Orchard and Eastridge stages of the circuit.
It also more than made up for his final day collapse in the ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic in Bacolod after dumping his caddie early in the round and settling for third place.
The victory also makes him the overwhelming favorite as the tour heads for Bukidnon next week for the ICSI Del Monte Championship.
Teener Miguel Tabuena turned in a second straight 69 and posted his best finish in a young pro career at joint fourth with Davaoeno Elmer Saban, who also made a 69, at 215. Each got P45,000.
Tony Lascuna wound up sixth with a 213 after a 68 while another homegrown bet Ferdie Aunzo shot a 70 and finished tied for seventh with Michael Bibat, who floundered with a 73 for 214.
Ruben Sasutil made a 71 and wound up tied with Danny Zarate (73) and Ramil Bisera (72) for ninth at 215.
The tour's other big guns finished way below expectations with Asian Tour campaigner Mars Pucay in joint 14th at 218 after a 71, Frankie Minoza (76) and Cassius Casas (73) in joint 17th at 219, Marvin Dumandan tied for 22nd at 221 after a 71, and Angelo Que, winner of the second leg at ICTSI-Mt. Malarayat, in share of 26th at 222 after a 73.
Rupert Zaragoza, meanwhile, firmed up his claim as the country's leading amateur as he took the honors with a 221 after a 71, beating Art Arbole, who skied to an 80 for a 229.[PR]

Red-hot Juvic storms to 8-shot lead

DAVAO - Juvic Pagunsan eagled No. 18 for the second straight day and poised to rout the field for the third straight year with another 66, pulling away by eight strokes over erstwhile co-leader Jhonnel Ababa, who dropped five strokes in one hole in the second round of the ICTSI Apo Golf Invitational here, Thursday.
Showing his mastery of the tough Apo layout, Pagunsan duplicated his opening six-under par card as he continued to outclass a stellar field, including the homegrown bets, to virtually wrap up a fourth leg title just halfway through the 16-stage circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
His 36-hole aggregate of 132 could well go down as the lowest in the three-year-old tour sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. with the ace shotmaker from Negros expected to go for a new scoring record and post a new winning mark in one season in today's final round.
Marvin Dumandan won three leg titles last year.
Ababa, who matched Pagunsan's 66 Wednesday despite a late tee off, started out early yesterday but came up with just one birdie after seven holes at the front before fumbling with a 9 on the par-4 No. 8 when he drove into the hazard, hit his third shot into a stymied lie and took a penalty.
He then dumped his approach shot into the greenside bunker and three-putted although he made two birdies in the last six holes to salvage a two-over 74 for second at four-under 140.
Michael Bibat, the former Asian Games bronze medalist still in search of a big win in the pro ranks, shot a two-under 70 for joint third with former national team mainstay Jerson Balasabas, who matched par 72, at 141 while Danny Zarate turned in a second 71 for a 142 in a tie with Elmer Saban and Elmer Salvador, who carded a 72 and 73, respectively.
Teener Miguel Tabuena birdied the last three holes at the front for a 69 as he joined Zarate, Saban and Salvador in fifth.
Except for Artemio Murakami, who missed the cut pegged at 152 with an awful 80 for a 155, the top guns made it to the top 40 plus ties but all stood too far behind Pagunsan with one round left in the 54-hole P1 million event.
Frankie Minoza fired a 71 but lay 11 shots back at 143 for joint ninth with Ramil Bisera, who had a 70, and Anthony Fernando, who shot a 70, while Angelo Que, runaway winner at ICTSI-Mt. Malarayat, bounced back from an opening 78 with a 71 and made it to the final round at 149.
Art Arbole remained the top amateur at 149 after a 73, one shot ahead of Rupert Zaragoza, who stumbled with a 78 after a decent 72 for a 150.
Starting out at the backside, Pagunsan birdied Nos. 12, 13 and 16 before ramming in another eagle from just about the same distance as he did Wednesday.
He fumbled with a bogey on the par-3 No. 4, his third in two days, but recovered with another pair of birdies on Nos. 6 and 7 for a 35-31 round.
With an eight-stroke lead, Pagunsan is expected to cruise to another win in what could be a big comeback from his final round fold-up in Bacolod where he bombed out and wound up third with a final round 73 after leading the ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic for the first two days.
The event is backed b 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)

Davao's Ikeda, 3 others advance; Ardina, Agojo out

Chihiro Ikeda matched par 71 and safely made it to the match play phase of the US Women's Amateur Championship at the Rhode Island Country Club in Rhode Island Monday.
Cyna Rodriguez, Andie Unson and Sarah Ababa, another Dabawenya, also advanced to the knockout stage of the premier event but Dottie Ardina and Jayvie Agojo failed to make the 64-player cut with a pair of three-over 74s.
Ikeda, the reigning Philippine Ladies Open champion and spearhead of the ICTSI-backed squad, hit two birdies against the same number of bogeys to emerge the top Filipina finisher at joint 18th with Unson with a 143.
But the reigning Thailand, Johor and Royal Selangor Open champion drew Ababa as her first round opponent in match play Wednesday.
Ababa shot a second straight 73 for a 146.
Unson, who with Rodriguez turned in similar 70s in the first round of the 36-hole stroke play elims among 156 entries, slowed down with a 73 and set up a duel with Julie Yang.
Rodriguez, on the other hand, carded a 74 and wound up joint 27th. She faces Amy Anderson in the first round of the knockout stage.
Ji Hee Kim of Korea shot a one-under 70 to win the low medal honors with a 136, nipping New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, who sizzled with a 66, in the countback.
Ardina, meanwhile, failed to recover from a first round score of 77, finishing with a 151 after a 74, for a share of 80th, while Agojo ended up joint 69th after a 74 and a 150.(PR)

Ababa forges tie with Pagunsan at 66

BACOLOD CITY'S JUVIC PAGUNSAN

DAVAO CITY'S JHONNEL ABABA

DAVAO – Rookie pro Jhonnel Ababa defended the home turf with a gutsy 66, matching fancied Juvic Pagunsan’s six-under par card fashioned out in the morning session as they opened a three-stroke lead over Elmer Salvador and two others in the P1 million ICTSI Apo Golf Invitational at the Apo Golf and Country Club here, Wednesday.
Ababa, chasing a second straight leg crown after topping the ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge three weeks ago, rallied with four birdies at the front on his homeward trip to highlight a brilliant 32-34 round marred by an opening hole bogey on No. 10.
But the former national team mainstay shook off the early missed-green mishap with birdies on No. 12, 16 and 18 then sustained his attack on the course he calls home with birdies on Nos. 1, 3, 5 and 8.
“Except for No. 10, I had a pretty solid round. My iron game clicked, setting up short birdie putts,” said Ababa in Filipino.
It was indeed an inspiring start for Ababa who scored a breakthrough win on the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour with a playoff victory over fellow Davaoeno and reigning Order of Meric champion Jay Bayron in Iloilo.
Earlier, Pagunsan eagled the par-5 18th to cap a fiery backside stint of 30 for that 66 as he set in motion his bid for a record third straight Davao leg victory.
Pagunsan strung up four straight birdies from No. 13 to fire up an otherwise mediocre round then holed out with an eagle from eight feet to put himself in a familiar place on a course and against a stellar field he has mastered the last two years.
Pagunsan’s 66 matched his start in 2009 when he dominated the field from start to finish en route to a six-shot romp over Artemio Murakami and Jerome Delariarte.
Pagunsan, seeking a fourth leg victory after eight legs of the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour after topping the Northwoods, Orchard and Eastridge stops, also scored a four-stroke win over Ferdie Aunzo and Elmer Saban here last year to become the first back-to-back leg winner on the three-year-old tour sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
Salvador and Echavez assumed the challengers' role with identical 69s in the same flight with the former Philippine Open champion hitting five birdies to negate a pair of missed-green bogeys and the latter missing seizing solo second at four-under with a bogey on the par-3 No. 4.
Local talents Tony Lascuna, Elmer Saban and Eddie Salvador also flashed their familiarity with the par-72 layout, carding identical 70s while Davaoenos Marvin Dumandan and Ferdie Aunzo, Michael Bibat and Danny Zarate turned in similar 71s.
Frankie Minoza, in a rare stint on the local circuit, matched par 72 for joint 13th with Dante Becierra, Arnold Villacencio and former world junior champion Ruperto Zaragoza while another Davaoeno and former national champion Anthony Fernando carded a 73 in a tie with teener Miguel Tabuena and Cassius Casas, also a homegrown bet.
Asian Tour veteran Mars Pucay failed to recover from a two-over card after nine holes and finished with a 75 then watched flightmate Pagunsan frolicked with a string of birdies from No. 13 and the day's lone eagle.
Pagunsan birdied the opening hole but fumbled with a one-over card with bogeys on Nos. 2 and 5. He birdied the sixth to get to even par and remained level until he knocked down a three-footer for birdie on the 13th.
He followed it up with a 10-footer on No. 14, rolled in an eight footer on the next before going four-under with a five-footer on the 16th.
But while Pagunsan played true to form, Angelo Que, winner of the ICTSI-Mt. Malarayat leg and one of the fancied bets here, shot an atrocious round of 78, including a birdie-less six-over 41 at the back where he teed off.
Que's misfortunes extended to the frontside as he bogeyed three of the first five holes but birdied two of the last four to salvage a 37 for a 78.
The event is backed b 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)

Cyna, Unson card 70s; Dabawenyas struggle

Cyna Rodriguez and Andie Unson shot identical one-under 70s to trail Korean Jihee Kim by four at the start of the 36-hole stroke play qualifier of the US Women’s Amateur Championship at the Rhode Island Country Club in Rhode Island Monday.
Rodriguez, the former Philippine Ladies Open champion, hit three birdies to negate a two-bogey mishap for a 35-35 round at the par-71 layout as she joined seven others in sixth place.
That includes ICTSI teammate Unson, the reigning Philippine Amateur Open champion, who missed closing in on Kim with a shaky finish, bogeying two of the last three holes at the back for a 33-37 card.
Dabawenya Chihiro Ikeda fought back from an awful start of 39 with back-to-back birdies from No. 15 as she salvaged a one-over 72 for a share of 27th place among 156 starters chasing 64 slots in the match play phase.
Sarah Ababa, another Dabawenya, made two birdies but fumbled with four bogeys as she dropped to joint 45th at 73, still within the cutoff line heading to the final round of the elims.
But Dottie Ardina, coming off a pair of runner-up finishes in the US Girls Championships and the Optimist International, groped for form with a 77 and in danger of missing the cut as she stood way below in joint 94th.
She failed to recover from a three-bogey string from No. 1, dropping four more strokes on Nos. 7, 8, 11 and 18 against a lone birdie on No. 10.
Jayvie Agojo, another former Phl Ladies Open champion, also sputtered with a 76 for a share of 84th, her round marred by six bogeys against one birdie.
“It’s a mixed result but I’m confident Dottie and Jayvie will be able to bounce back. They struggled with their putting, missing some close par putts,” said ICTSI team coach Bong Lopez.
Kim hit eight birdies in an awesome display of shotmaking, finishing with a five-under 66 for a two-shot lead over China’s Xi Yu Lin and Mariel Galdiano of Hawaii, who both had 68s, while Doris Chen of Florida and Pamela Pretswell of Scotland made identical 68s for fourth.(pr)

All-star ICTSI-Apo golf unfolds

Juvic Pagunsan begins his chase for a record third straight leg crown on the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour but a host of ace shotmakers will also be in pursuit of the ICTSI Apo Golf Invitational crown in what promises to be a wide-open battle in the P1 million event starting Wednesday, Aug. 10, at the Apo Golf and Country Club.

Unlike in the last two Apo legs which he dominated, Pagunsan braces for a tougher challenge this week with the likes of Angelo Que, Frankie Minoza and Miguel Tabuena joining the star-studded roster that includes homegrown bets Jay Bayron, Tony Lascuna, Ferdie Aunzo, Marvin Dumandan. Elmer Salvador, Cassius Casas and Jhonnel Ababa, winner of the last leg at ICTSI-Iloilo.

Robert Pactolerin, who ended a long title-drought by beating Lascuna on the fourth playoff hole in Bacolod, launched his title bid with a win in Tuesday’s pro-am as he powered his team composed of Agustino Docdocil, Lor Alaan and King Rivas to victory with a 51.

Mhark Fernando and partners Andrew Bautista, Ronnie Magsico and Oscar Garcia came in second with 53 while unheralded Randy Geralde led his team of Bong Cabang, Jun Singson and Benjie Leparto to third place with a 55.

Que, Minoza and Tabuena have skipped the last four legs of the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. to campaign abroad and are all expected to figure in the fight for the top P200,000 purse on a tough course that requires accuracy and mental toughness.

“The fairways and greens are hard, but the key here would be on putting. I think a seven-under total will win,” said Dumandan, the winningest player last season with three victories but remains winless this year, in Filipino.

“We really have to step up, defend our turf and stop Juvic,” said Casas, who last won in ICTSI Del Monte last year, in Filipino. “But it won’t be easy, Apo is a tough course, it requires a solid all-around game to score here.”

That should make the first round worth watching with Pagunsan tipped to launch his three-peat bid the way he did in stringing back-to-back victories here the past two years.

The smooth-swinging Pagunsan used a near-flawless six-under par 66 in the first round to dominate the field and post a six-shot romp over Artemio Murakami and Jerome Delariarte in 2009 then scored a four-stroke win over Aunzo and Elmer Saban to become the first back-to-back leg winner on the three-year-old tour sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, inc.

Pagunsan, the current Order of Merit leader, is actually gunning for his fourth leg victory this year after reigning at Royal Northwoods, Orchard and Eastridge and is out to redeem himself from a final round meltdown at ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic last month.

Focus will also be on Que, who posted a runaway victory in the second leg at ICTSI-Mt. Malarayat but has opted to rest and campaign abroad after a so-so finish at ICTSI-Orchard Invitational, and Minoza, who last saw action at ICTSI-Orchard where he turned in a fourth place finish before resuming his campaign on the US Seniors Tour.

Tabuena is also raring to atone for a series of mediocre finishes abroad with the 16-year-old find hoping to come out strong early, build momentum and earn a crack at the crown in the 54-hole tournament, the eighth leg of the 16-stage circuit.

Pactolerin, who missed the cut in Iloilo, and Ababa, who nipped Jay Bayron in the first sudden death hole in Iloilo, are chasing their own dream of winning a second leg crown along with Rufino Bayron, Mhark Fernando, Anthony Fernando, Mars Pucay, Rey Pagunsan, Jerson Balasabas and Murakami.

The event is backed b 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)

Ardina, Davao's Ikeda upbeat of US Am bid

Dottie Ardina and Davao City native Chihiro Ikeda head the six-player ICTSI-Philippines roster vying in this year’s US Women’s Amateur Championship, hopeful of their chances against the world’s leading players in the event firing off Aug. 8 in Rhode Island.
The team, which also includes former Philippine Ladies Open champions Jayvie Agojo and Cyna Rodriguez, Andie Unson and Dabawenya Sarah Ababa, found the par-71 Rhode Island Country Club layout tough when it had its first practice round Saturday but remained upbeat two days before the event.
“The course has been set up like in a US Open event with thick roughs and sleek putting surface,” said ICTSI team coach Bong Lopez. “But the team is ready and in high spirits.”
The ICTSI-backed Filipinas spent the whole of Sunday at the range, hitting at varied distances.
“Driving will be the key, they must put their ball on the fairway to have any chance of reaching the green in regulation,” added Lopez.
No Filipina has ever come close to a title shot since former national team mainstay Dorothy Delasin won in 1999 at the Biltmore Forest Country Club in North Carolina with Rodriguez dropping out of the Last 16 stage in 2009.
A total of 156 players vie in the 36-hole stroke play competition with the top 64 advancing to the match play phase.
Ardina, the reigning Queen Sirikit Cup individual champion, has been seeded into the event with a runner-up finish in the recent US Girls Am. She also placed second in the Optimist International last month.
The rest earned their seats through qualifiers with Ikeda, the reigning Philippines Ladies Open champion, making it in York, Pennsylvania, Rodriguez and Agojo in Denver, Unson in California and Ababa in Hawaii.(pr)

Members of the ICTSI-Team Phl (from left) Andie Unson, Jayvie Agojo, Dottie Ardina, Cyna Rodriguez, Sarah Ababa and Chihiro Ikeda pose during a break in practice for the US Women’s Amateur Championship.

Juvic faces stiff test for 3-peat bid in Davao

Juvic Pagunsan braces for what could be his toughest challenge in pursuit of a record third straight leg crown on the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour as he banners the stellar cast in the ICTSI Apo Golf Invitational beginning Aug. 10 at the Apo layout in Davao City.
Pagunsan has actually set a norm by winning the Apo stage for the second straight time last year, becoming the first player to defend a leg title in the three-year-old circuit. In top form and oozing with confidence, he will try to further stretch it to three next week and make it more difficult for the others to match.
But out to foil his three-peat quest is a roster that includes the best in the land, each capable of matching the ace Negrense’s talent and skills over an equally tough course that is home to a slew of fancied players on the tour.
Pagunsan, however, showed it can be done when he bested homegrown bets Ferdie Aunzo and Elmer Saban in last year’s Apo edition of the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.
This time, however, the likes of Jay Bayron, Tony Lascuna, Marvin Dumandan and Elmer Salvador are all pumped-up to vie for the crown and defend their turf along with fellow Davaoenos Cassius Casas, Rufino Bayron and Jhonnel Ababa, who scored a breakthrough win in Iloilo last month.
Ababa humbled Jay Bayron on the first playoff hole to capture the ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge crown with the former mainstay of the national team hoping to sustain his winning form and reign at home.
But Pagunsan will not only have to contend with the local talents but also the likes of Angelo Que, Artemio Murakami, Mars Pucay, Mhark Fernando, Jun Bernis, youthful Miguel Tabuena and veteran Robert Pactolerin, who nipped Lascuna in a four-hole playoff to win the ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic also last month.
Frankie Minoza is also in the fold in a rare appearance on the local circuit with the veteran shotmaker and US Senior Tour campaigner also expected to figure in the title hunt in the 54-hole championship serving as the eighth leg of a 16-leg tour.
Meanwhile, Pagunsan, winner of three of the first seven stages of the circuit, and the other leading pros see action in the traditional pro-am tournament Tuesday along with officials and guests of the event’s chief backers.
They are the 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.
From Davao, action shifts to Bukidnon on Aug. 17-19 for the ICTSI Del Monte Championship where Casas snatched the victory when Pagunsan and two others were disqualified on a final hole infraction.
Cebu will host the next leg on Aug. 31-Sept. 3 for the ICTSI Aboitiz Invitational, a 72-hole championship which also serves as a leg of the Asian Development Tour.(pr)