BAGUIO CITY December 2 – San Miguel – Northern Cement inched closer to Manila Southwoods and now stares at a three point deficit going into the Camp John Hay golf course for the second half of the premiere Fil Championship flight of the 66th Fil-Am Golf Invitational presented by San Miguel Corporation here.
This as the Southwoods Am Championship team cools down a bit and gave just a point for a four shot lead on Batangas Barako as the top flight takes a day break tomorrow, Dec. 3.
Yuto Katsuragawa led the Carmona, Cavited based players with 34, Justin Quiban recovered in the front nine for a 33, while Ryan Monsalve and Kristoffer Arevalo chipped in 31 and 30, respectively as Southwoods made 128 for 255 tally and still lead the flight by three.
Rupert Zaragoza improved to 34 and lead San Miguel to the flight best 130 and 252 total to inch closer to the leader as they go to the longer and score friendly John Hay.
John Philip Claro had 33, while Lanz Uy and Jelbert Gamolo made 32 and 31, respectively, to count for in the five to play four to count tournament also presented by Toyota.
Jobim Carlos fired the first even par score for 36 points and lead Royal Northwood to 129 for 241 to improve to third spot. Liam Cully and Carlo Gatmaytan scored identical 32s, while Carlo Villaroman chipped in 29 to also count for the team which is two up on Lusita’s which made 127 and 239 tally. Brian Kim submitted a one over for 35, while Weiwei Gao and Joo Hyung Kim scored 32 points each and Dan Emilio Cruz posted 28 for Luisita’s whose players average 15.2 years old, the youngest in the field.
Two teams are tied at fifth – Che’Lus I and Forest Hills with 225 after shooting 109 and 115, respectively. Mizuno is another shot down after making 117, while Surigao is at the tailend with 210.
Manila Southwoods slowed a bit also at the Camp John Hay when its Am squad shot 131 for a 266 and now a four shot lead on Batangas Barakos.
Teener Ira Alido made four birdies against a lone pick up and two bogeys for an even par 69 and 36 to lead Southwoods. Jordan Mamaril had a 34, while Junjun Plana, who shot the tournament best 43 on Tuesday, cooled with a 31 even as Ivan Monsalve counted with 27 for Southwoods.
Gary Sales scored one of the two subpar performances an eagle aided 37 to lead Batangas to 132 and 262 total. Ricky delos Santos and Gerald Katigbak accounted with 34 each, while Jose Iñigo and Michael Mendoza had 27 each, one of which did not count for the team. Valley Golf limped with 119 and 248 total for third spot which it earlier occupy with Mizuno Evercode which tallied 112, now seven shots adrift and fourth spot.
“We played consistent today. Eddie Bagtas is ready to play and I expect the team to score better in the last two days,” said San Miguel captain Bobby Iñigo.
Bagtas, who said that he will fare better this time at the CJH with the pin placement much farther from the hole, expressed gratitude to San Miguel top man Ramon Ang, whose “full support has inspired the boys to play better” on day two.
San Miguel is likewise confident that Zaragoza will spell the difference the next two days as the team zeroes on the title to complete the mission this year of taking both the Fil-Championship crowns.
Luisita’s golf manager Jerich Hechanova is one of the happier captain as his young team delivered on day two. “We scored better this time and I just hope that we will finish in the podium, not the champion but maybe a third will be good enough for this very young team,” added Hechanova.