Gaston outguns Olives, snares Phl Srs crown

Francis Gaston turned in a near-flawless front-side stint then survived a faltering windup to beat Tony Olives by three and capture the NGAP-GLOBE Business Philippine Senior Amateur Championship crown with a closing 74 at Camp Aguinaldo Golf Club in QC yesterday.

Gaston, the former national champion, hit one birdie against two bogeys for a one-over 36 start at the par-68 layout, wiping out an overnight twostroke deficit as Olives wavered with a 42 for a 79 before cruising to victory in the centerpiece Open division.

Not even a finish of five straight bogeys could shake off Gaston as he wound up with a 54-hole aggregate of 234, three strokes better than Olives, who recovered from a poor start with a closing 37 for a 237.

Herminio Maravilla matched Gaston’s 74 to finish tied for third with Dave Hernandez, who carded a 75, at 238.

Danilo Morales shot a 77 and ended up fifth at 239 while Mari Hechanova, last year’s runnerup, made a 79 for a 242 and finished sixth in the tournament which served as part of the NGAPGLOBE Business Amateur Circuit.

Bong Vilchez, tied for second at the start of the final round, never recovered from a pair of double-bogey start, falling farther behind with a 45 at the turn before winding up with a 44 for an 89-249.

Manfred Guangko saved his best for last, firing a 73 and ruling the Mid-amateur division of the event backed by Pancake House, Titleist and Golf Depot and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Phils.

Guangko totaled a 232, frustrating two-day leader Ricky Velasco, who skied to an 80 and lost by four with a 236. Inigo Bilbao finished third with a 255 after an 88.

Allan Crisostomo pooled a 36-hole gross of 154 for a net 134 to top Class A of the Mid-am division with Alan Alegre placing second with a gross 157 for a net 141.

Carlos Inigo III scored a gross 164 (86-78) to dominate Category I (55-59) with Bonifacio De Castro placing second with a gross 171 (84-87) and Ramon Zafra finishing third with a 173 (87-86).

Other winners were Manuel Domingo (155-Category II), Mario Lugay (152-Category III), Ben Liclican (167-Super Senior I), and Jun Galindez (190-Super Senior III).