BAGUIO CITY (17 Dec) – Manila Southwoods simmered down Wednesday, Dec. 17, but then gained four points to its lead as the title, its seventh straight, is but a formality with a game to go in the 70th Fil-Am Invitational Golf Tournament at the Baguio Country Club.
Lanz Uy fortified his bid for the individual plum as he led the Carmona, Cavite based squad with 33 points for the team’s 115 points and 424 total, a whopping 44 point advantage on second running Forest Hills.
Aguri Iwasaki, Sean Ramos and Taisei Shimizu scored 29, 27 and 26, in that order to count for Southwoods which is now staring at a second straight seven title, the most in the 70 year old tournament that is said to be the biggest in this part of the world.
Aidric Chan failed to count anew as the anchor of the Philippine team had a 24, the second straight day he did not count in the five to play four to count tournament.
Uy has 113, a five under, and a formidable lead over Aguri Iwasaki and two of his teammates.
Relegated to the battle for second place, Forest Hills maintained its cool to even extend its lead on Royal Northwoods by five.
Inigo Raymundo top billed for Forest Hills with 30 points, Rocky Co chipped in 28, while Dan Cruz and Leandro Bagtas added 27 and 26, respectively for the team’s 111 points and three day total of 380.
Royal Northwoods had a triple 27 from Stephen Sul, Joaquin Hernandez and Gido Mandanas and Nik Gatmaytan added a 26 for the team’s 107, the day’s worst in the flight, and 375 points.
Team Time Cargo matched Southwoods production for a three day aggregate of 355.
It could be another double whammy for Southwoods as its Am Championship team stretched its lead further by a marker to 20.
Masaichi Otake broke par with 36 points and pace Southwoods 122 day three production that put them at 344, 20 off Batangas Barakos at the Camp John Hay course.
Jeff Jung made 33, while Santino Laurel and Josh Jorge added 27 and 26, respectively for the very young Southwoods squad.
Batangas’ 121 was built around Gary Sales’ one over for 35 points and backed by the 31 of Ricky delos Santos, 28 of Gerald Katigbak and 27 of Michael Mendoza.
Forest Hills, on the other hand, improved to third from fourth after shooting the day’s best 124 on the even par of Rodolfo Brobio for 36, 31 of Ronnie Littaua, 29 of Rodel Mangulabnan and 28 of Raffy Garcia.
Islander Mizuno slipped to fourth after shooting 116 for a 300 aggregate.
Islander Mizuno slowed down with a 69 and a three day total of 264 for an 18 point lead in Fil E with a round to go.
Razcals I shot one of the day’s best of 70 for a 246 total to stay at second spot, while Tieza Club Intramuros Golf Course A made 61 for 234 points, now 12 off Razcals I after opening the third round just three off.
Tieza Club Intramuros Golf Course A got a two point penalty on a bad day that saw its players total a measly 57 and see its round two lead of 16 now down to a single marker.
Tieza has 190 points, just one off Macquarie Links Sydney which made 70 for 189. Macquarie now holds a single point lead on third ranked Uragun which made 69 and 188 points total, after the two started out the day even.
By Dexter A. See
