Luisita walks to Seniors Champ title
BAGUIO CITY – It was virtually a walk in the park for former champion Luisita Golf and Country Club which won by an eye popping 50 points for the premiere Fil Seniors Championship crown here on Monday. A hero came forward by the name of Danny Cruz who broke par with 36 points to lead Luisita to a closing round of 130 and 515 total. Chino Raymundo and the long-hitting Eddie Bagtas, heroes in the first two days, assembled 32 points each, while Benjie Sumulong had 30, and Day 2 hero Rodel Mangulabnan matched his day one production of 29 and did not count. Bagtas also took the individual top honors with 134 points, a five-point victory over Danny Cruz. Manila Southwoods shot its second straight 117 in the four-day tournament to finish with 465, while John Hay fired 108 and still managed to hold off erstwhile champion Megafiber which shot a closing 115. John Hay netted 441 and three ahead of last year’s biggest upset maker Megafiber. Luisita buried the ghost of last year’s defeat and came back stronger this year, while vowing not to repeat the same mistake last year. From an opening lead of five, it went up to 18 then in its most dominant game yet, Luisita scored a tournament best 136 in the third to make it a 37-point cushion with a round to go. And it was double sweet as the Am squad took the title by the hairline. Trailing by three after the third round after a bad start at BCC, the Tarlac-based squad assembled 97 for a 425 total which was enough to win the crown with Dugong Bughaw closing out with 93 and a 424 total. Edmund Yee paced Luisita with 29, Raffy Garcia, Chito Laureta and Demy Saclot counted with 25, 22 and 21, respectively, for the team. Noel Marcellano, which help outshut Luisita 97-87 on day three, led Dugong Bughaw with 26, Wilfredo Princesa had a 24, while Miguel Morada and Rommie Valdez added 23 and 20 for the team. Summit Point Golf and Country Club took third honors after finishing with 96 and 415 aggregate. Okinawa Golf Team had the luxury to take it slow on the last day with a 13-shot lead, but still managed a 105 and 409 total for an 11-point victory in Seniors Fil A. Mamala Bay had the best flight score of 107 and 398 to overtake Hotel Bahia Subic for the runner-up honors after the latter fired 93 points for 390.