Archers trip Eagles anew in opener

TAGAYTAY - La Salle put on another solid start in its pursuit of a fourth straight title in the La Salle-Ateneo Match Play, seizing an 8-4 lead over Ateneo in Day One of the Ryder Cup-style event at the Tagaytay Midlands here yesterday.

The Archers took four of the six matches in the morning foursomes (alternate shot) then added four more in the afternoon where play shifted to fourballs (better-ball) to set in motion their bid for a repeat of their feat last year.

The Taft-based squad also posted an 8.5-3.5 lead in the first day here last year en route to scoring a six-point victory over the Eagles, their third straight after losing the inaugurals at Sherwood.

“We didn’t expect to play this good today (yesterday). I guess it was the intensity of the rivalry that brought out the best in us,” said La Salle skipper Freddie Mendoza. “We will still make adjustments tomorrow (today), probably rest some of the players because two rounds a day will take their toll on them.”

Miko Alejandro, the best performer for La Salle last year, teamed up with Terrence Macatangay to beat former national champion Anthony Fernando and Pepot Iñigo, 4&3, in the better ball to cap the Archers’ first day romp in the event organized and hosted by Belle Corporation and Tagaytay Highlands.

Justine Limjap and Chucky Hong earlier trounced the ladies tandem of Leanna Farrales and Lovelyn Guioguio, 4&2; while JR Reyes and Abe Rosal overwhelmed the Gab Atienza-Ayon Sanchez pair, 6&5; and JR Tanpinco and Richie Garcia pulled off a 2&1 win over Jun Jun Plana and Yoyong Velez.

Judeson Eustaquio, the Florida State champion, and veteran Iggy Clavecilla downed Jung Soo Park and King Stehmeier, 5&4, while Marcel Puyat and Mari Hechanova combined to topple the Anya Tanpinco-Lora Roberto tandem, 2&1, for Ateneo’s two victories in the four-balls.

Whichever team notches 21-1/2 points first wins the match play with La Salle eyeing a fourth straight victory in the event sponsored by Fiji Water, Pacific Online, BusinessMirror, Inquirer, Inquirer Golf, Golf Punk, Solar and Crossover and held in cooperation with the La Salle Golf Club Inc. and the Ateneo Golf Foundation.

Alejandro and Limjap swept their first day assignments by beating Puyat and Marty Ilagan, 4&3, in the morning matches. Also winning for La Salle in the foursomes are Park and Marco Oliver, who tripped the Fernando-Plana pair, 3&2; Tanpinco and Roberto, who upended Jovi Neri and Bayani Garcia, 4&3; and Reyes and Stehmeier, who posted a 4&3 victory over John Gobing and Atienza.

The Eustaquio-Hechanova pair beat Tanpinco and Hong, 2-up, the same score posted by the Clavecilla-Velez pair which prevailed over Macatangay and Ronnie Littaua for Ateneo’s first two points.