Abutazil-Garcia rules View golfest

CEBU, Philippines – The tandem of Emir Abutazil and Bayani Garcia bagged the overall lowest net honors in The View Invitational 2009 at Alta Vista Golf and Country Club while Edwin Go Lim and Peter Militante claimed the overall lowest net plum.

The tournament ended late Sunday afternoon after four days of action using the Modified Stableford Scoring System.

Abutazil and Garcia scored a total gross of 132 points firing rounds of 68 and 64 points. They edged the powerhouse duo of Ramontito Garcia and national amateur champion Ricardo ‘Richie’ Garcia for the title by a margin of one point.

Lim and Militante fired a combined 69 points on the first round shooting 34 and 35 respectively, but got a huge lift via a spectacular second round performance with their 88 points. Lim made 41 but Militante, who sprayed 5 birdies for the round, shot 11-under-par 47.

Their two-day total was 157 points.

The Division A title went to the father and son duo of Nestor and Marvin Mendoza firing rounds of 68 and 81 for a total of 149 points. Nestor scored 32 and 40 while his son made 36 and 41.

Second place for the premiere handicap class went to Edwin Espina and Jonathan Dionson with 148 points on rounds of 76 and 72, third place went to Ernesto Siguan and Nelson Muñeses with 145 (67-78).

The Division B crown went to Hansel Ong and Elpedio Ong with 140 points on rounds of 77 and 63. Second place went to lawyer Tito Pintor and Dr. Sim Guinocor with 138 (64-74) while third place went to Col. Romeo Gapuz and Lt. Col. Joey Reyes with 137 (69-68).

Arnel Go and Don Teves ruled Division C with 130 points on rounds of 63 and 67. The duo of Pepito Alvarez and his buddy Gerry Sy finished second with 129 (50-79) after edging the third placed tandem of Justice Stephen Cruz and junior golfer Dominic Espinoza, who also finished with the same total score. 

Alvarez and Sy had a better total score for the back nine compared to Cruz and Espinoza.

Tony Amor and Taira Takanobo ruled the Seniors class with 147 points on rounds of 74 and 73. Second place went to club director Vicente Go and Wack-Wack’s Manuel Valdez with 141 (73-68) while third place went to Felix Villanueva and Retired General Rodante Joya with 137 (62-75).

Angelo Marquez, however, stole the limelight from the tournament winners when he aced the 180-yard hole No. 8 last Saturday to win a Kia Picanto, a Club Car golf cart and a Yamaha motorcycle.

Marquez was in the company of his member-partner Toby Florendo and the duo of Alex Yeo and Retired General Jack Ligot when he made the hole-in-one. – THE FREEMAN