Youth squad pads Southwoods edge to 34 points

BAGUIO, Philippines – Manila Southwoods turned in a solid 131 and virtually nailed its eighth title in the Fil Championship of the Fil-Am golf tournament with a whopping 34-point lead over Mizuno at the Camp John Hay Course here yesterday.

The Carmona-based squad leaned on its youth brigade to topple the opposition with Chepe Dulay, 17, firing 35 points or one-over 70 in stroke play on a two-birdie, three-bogey stint.

Wolen Superal, 16, added 32 while 13-year-old Miggy Yee shot 31 to go along with veteran Junjun Plana’s 33 points for that 131.

That gave the Southwoods golfers a 54-hole aggregate of 372, leaving behind Mizuno, which floundered at the par 69 layout with a 116 for a 338 total.

Former pro Vince Lauron, who fired 33 points to help carry the team build a 19-point lead in the second round, didn’t count with 26 points.

Mizuno’s King Stehmeier turned in 33 points but failed to draw solid rounds from the rest of the squad as Justin Limjap struggled with 29 and Rodel Mangulabnan and John Baron Garcia had 28 and 26 points, respectively.

“It’s now a comfortable lead and we will have less pressure (in the final round),” said Plana who will also shoot for a second individual honor in the annual event with a 96-point aggregate, one-point ahead of Ronnie Littaua, who came in with 31 points for a 95.

Camp Aguinaldo surged past Forest Hills for third with a 325 after a 120 as Edmund Yee fired 35 points.

Forest Hills Niclaus slid to fourth with a 322 after a 105.

Over at the Baguio Country Club, Team JF scored 103 points for a 346 total as it widened its lead to 14 points in the Am Championship.

Richard Joson made 31 points, Christian delos Santos had 28, Belem Arancon shot 25 points and Bernard Joson added 19 for Team JF.

Philippine Navy GC, which led in the first round, shot a 102 for a 332 as Jaime Beech put in a 29, Brizton Aw and Pedro Bandola, Jr. each fired 26 while Mardelino Miralles had 21 points.                         – Artemio Dumlao