RP finishes joint 28th in World Am

SOUTH AUSTRALIA – Rufino Bayron holed out with a birdie for a one-over 74 as the Philippines wound up in joint 28th at the close of the Eisenhower Cup of the World Amateurs ruled by Scotland in runaway fashion yesterday in Adelaide here.

Bayron’s closing birdie saved what could’ve been another disastrous windup for the RP bets, who threw a two-under card after nine holes and limped home with a three-over 149 at the par-73 Royal Adelaide layout.

After failing to count for the team in the second and third rounds, Ferdie Aunzo carded a two-over 75, marred by three bogeys in the last nine holes.

Jerson Balasabas double bogeyed the first two holes at the back, dropped three shots on No. 15 and made four bogeys against a birdie and a par for a 10-over 46. He parred the last nine holes and didn’t count with an 83.

With a 595 total on two courses, including the Grange Golf Club, the Philippines, whose campaign here was sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Airlines, Stradcom Corp., Dynamic Sports and LORO Shirts and the National Golf Association of the Phils., finished tied for 28th with Austria (146) and Iceland (155).

It was 10 rungs better than the performance of the 2006 team of Jay Bayron, Michael Bibat and Marvin Dumandan in South Africa but it was way below the expectation of the team, which came here with high hopes of finishing in the top 10.

Scotland matched Sweden’s romp in the Espirito Santo Trophy last week, the girls’ side of the biennial event, as it posted a nine-stroke triumph over the United States despite a 147 finish, its first over par score, for a 560. The Americans skied to a 152 for second at 569 while Sweden took third place with a 574 after a 153.