Clavecilla romps away with RP seniors title

Iggy Clavecilla rode on back-to-back birdies from No. 3 to regain control then pounced on Francis Gaston’s terrible miscue on No. 8 to run away with the Philippine Seniors Amateur Golf Championships crown with a closing 76 at The Riviera in Silang, Cavite yesterday.

Just one up at the start of the day, Clavecilla found a company right on the first hole after Gaston opened up with a birdie on another windy day at the Langer layout. But the Luisita bet gained on a decisive four-shot swing with birdies on Nos. 3 and 4, which Gaston bogeyed, turning what was expected to be a shootout into a big blowout.

Clavecilla went 6-up as Gaston dropped two more strokes on Nos. 5 and 7 with the latter, a former national amateur champion, blowing it all with a woeful 8 on the par-3 No. 8 after hitting two balls into the ravine and needed three putts to hole out.

By the time they made the turn, Clavecilla had an 11-shot lead with a 34, setting the stage for an easy eight-stroke victory for the 58-year-old shotmaker, who finished with a 54-hole aggregate of 226.

"It’s a good thing that I was able to build a big lead after 9 holes because I was already too tired at the backnine," said Clavecilla in Filipino.

It was Clavecilla’s second victory after ruling the Open division on his first try in 2003 at The Orchard and the win assured his spot in the national squad that will defend the Asia-Pacific men’s seniors crown in November.

Gaston, who shared the lead with Clavecilla in the first round and dropped just a stroke behind the next day, limped with an 83 (44-39) for a 234 as he settled for second place in the event presented by Harbour Centre, backed by Mizuno, Nestea and Summit mineral water and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Phils.

Seve Roxas Chua took third place honors with a 242 after an 82 while Bryan Cockrell carded an 81 to finish fourth with a 246. Edwin Arcilla (83) and Joe Lao (85) shared fifth place with 248s followed by Danny Pizarro (83-250), Caloy Coscolluela (84-251), Jose Nepomuceno (90-259) and Philip Judan (94-266) in that order.

Pizarro emerged the Open net winner with a 211.

Other winners: Category I (55-59) gross champion — Ted Runes (81-158), runner-up Peregin de Guzman (79-163); net champion — Arnaldo Bautista (79-152), runner-up Gov. Tommy Joson III (80-152); Category 2 (60-64) gross champion — Tito Eusebio (89-171), runner-up Sec. and NGAP president Leandro Mendoza (90-174); net champion — Arsenio Paredes (76-148), runner-up Pete Cervantes (82-156); Category 3 (65-69) gross champion — Ben Liclican (75-160); runner-up Yushihko Akasaka (87-175); net champion — Benny Ricafort (69-143); runner-up Rey Ulob (77-152); Super Senior 1 (70-74) gross champion — Jun Galindez (91-184); runner-up Renato Galindez (93-189); net champion — Ricardo Quintos (79-145); runner-up Rod Feliciano (80-150); Super Senior 2 (75-above) gross champion — Carlos Iñigo (102-200), runner-up former Pres. Fidel V. Ramos (112-120); net champion— Enrique Beech (96-184).