In perhaps the most tightly-fought finale of the annual series, the unfancied Monte Vista golfers saved their best for last with seven players — Paolo Panlilio, Ric Cedeno, Freddie Fajardo, Nelson Cruz, Roy Etorina, Dante Gozum and Roy Agustin scoring the maximum 38 points each — anchoring the team’s big victory with 38 points each in the 12-to-play, 10-to-count format event which used the Stableford scoring format.
They won by mere three points over Merville Park, which closed out with a 349 for a 708 as Greenhills I, which started the day with a nine-point lead over Merville Park and 12 ahead of Monte Vista, sputtered with a 339 and settled for a 707 aggregate.
It was indeed a remarkable fightback staged by the Monte Vista golfers, who finished only third in the sectoral qualifiers but came up with an impressive 356 card in the first round which they used as the springboard to bag their first-ever crown in the series sponsored by Infocom Technologies and PLDT and supported by Alaxan, BJ Marthel International, Callaway, Odyssey, Forth & Tay and McCallan Whisky, Home Cable, ICTSI, Menzi & Co., STI College and Pisanti golfwear.
Greenhills I fell prey to the demanding conditions of the south layout and struggled with a 339, consoling themselves with the A Division crown with a 707 after beating Tahanan (350-698) and Dasmariñas (331-689) for the plum.
Merville Park took the B Division title with a 708, outpointing Corinthian (353-702) while Magallanes placed third with a 676 after a 320.
With Monte Vista snatching the overall crown, BF Homes ruled the C Division with a 704 total after a 346 with White Plains (294) and Wack Wack (279) finishing second and third with 631 and 616 points, respectively.
Dasmariñas’ Ikram Arshad led the individual winners in the series as he made 56 points to top Group I.