Apo trails host Valley by one

Antipolo City — Apo unleashed a third day siege with a 209 to wheel back into contention even as Negros Occidental’s Jose Isedeno kept his grip on the lead with a 69 yesterday in the penultimate day of the 15th Uratex National Caddies Championship here.

Louie Manday of Peninsula Golf in Bataan shared the limelight after scoring the tournament’s second hole-in-one in the 176-yard third hole using a 3-iron and a No. 4 Maxfli ball.

Manday’s effort duplicated the opening day feat of Roderick Borja of Japan Air Resort formerly Kang Irag in hole 11 but failed to get the P100,000 worth of gift check incentive since hole 3 isn’t a designated hole.

But Col. Abe Villanueva and Manding Santos, co-chairmen of the organizing committee, however, said Manday will receive P5,000 worth of gift certificate courtesy of Valley Golf’s Mekoy Quioge.

A day after struggling with a 221, Apo leaned on a pair of 69s by Ranil Glimada and Elmer Saban and a solid 71 by Jonel Ababa to record the day’s best effort and finish with 54-hole aggregate of 651, a stroke behind pacesetter Valley which had 250.

The Davao-based golfers’ fourth man — Dante Torres — scored a 79 but didn’t count.

Valley, for its part, saw its three-shot lead cut down to one after scoring just a 215 for a total of 650. Alvin Mejares, who was at third in the individual standings going into yesterday, faltered with a 74 but an even-par 70 by Santos Estrera and a one-over 71 by Jomar Pepito saved the day for the Antipolo-based golfers.

But it was still the 47-year-old Isedeno who flashed the most awesome form in this four-day P2-million tournament.

Challenged by a red-hot Romeo Jaraula of Del Monte in Bukidnon, Isedeno leaned on his steady shotmaking as he overcame a bogey in the fourth hole and a triple bogey in the 12th with five birdies to finish with a three-day aggregate of 209.

The Marapara Golf and Country Club bagtoter is now four strokes ahead of Iloilo’s Rene Menor, who fired a even-par 70 for a total of 213, six shots better than the 215 by Glimada and Pepito, and a chance to finally win it all after several failed attempts at winning the top purse worth P75,000 and a 21-inch color TV.

"Mahirap pang magsalita dahil may isang round pa," said Isedeno, a native of Bata in Bacolod City. "Pero kung ibibigay na bukas, kukunin ko na ito."

Isedeno also propelled Negros Occidental to joint second with Apo on a 651 card.

Negros could have snatched the lead had not for a 12th hole disaster by Isedeno and a three-hole collapse by Rodrigo Marabe Jr.

Marabe fired a birdie in the 15th hole to go two-under par but bogeyed the final three holes to finish with a 71, the same output put in by teammate Julieto Espuerta.

Jaraula, who carded a tournament best of 65 Wednesday afternoon to move a stroke behind Isedeno in Day 2, simmered in the front nine with a two-birdie-laced two-under par 33 effort that tied him with the Negros shotmaker going into the last nine holes.

But he blew up in the back end after he double bogeyed the 11th, 15th and 16th holes before bogeying hole 17 to wind up with a 75 that pushed him back to a share of fifth spot with Mejares with a 216.

In women’s play, Susana Delfino of Kagitingan carded an 84 for a two-day aggregate of 162 to solidify her hold of the lead going into the last day.

Delfino is now five shots up against Teresa Carpio (167) of Canlubang, seven over Gladys Briones (169) of Eastridge and 10 above Nilda Borja (172) of Manila Southwoods.

Also in the hunt were Nerrisa Ogares (173) of Manila Southwoods, Jean Galang (175) of Intramuros, Miriam Forlaje (175) of Manila Southwoods, Wendy Sator (176) of Eastridge, Terry Parala (176) of Canlubang and Mercy Elias (177) of Sta. Elena.