Cailao, Bakunawa set pace in Mango Tee

MANILA, Philippines –  Agustin Cailao and Manuel Bakunawa set the winning score to beat after vaulting ahead with 153 points even as Manolet Manosa fired an ace during the first four days of action in the 27th Mango Tee golf tournament at the posh Alabang Country Club course inside the Ayala-Alabang village.

Playing in Class D, 35-handicapper Cailao returned scores of 36 and 32 while his guest partner Bakunawa came up with 44 and 41 for their 36-hole aggregate of 153 that pushed them on top of 384-team field going into the last two days of play where the rest of the pack will complete their rounds.

But it was single-handicapper Manolet Manosa who made the tournament’s biggest shot the past four days, holing an 8-iron off the 159-yard 12th tee. He stands to win a shiny red Mitsubishi ASX crossover SUV worth more than P1 million.

The ASX is one of four Mitsubishi vehicles staked for a hole-in-one in all four par-3s of the Alabang layout.

Also leading their divisions in the event co-presented by Pilipinas Shell, Smart Infinity and Pancake House were Monto Briones-Yayi Escuadro with a 71-79-150 in Class A, Gilbert Joven-Julius Cada with an 81-70-151 in Class B and Danilo Reyes-Gerard Villacarlos with a 73-74-147 in Class C.

Golforce, Zesto Corp., Duty Free Phils, Bellevue, BPI Assets, Pacific Links and Gatorade are the major sponsors. Outback Steakhouse is sponsoring the cocktails and awards ceremony while the hole sponsors are Bayantel, Rockwell, Skycable, Security Bank, BPI, IS Mechanical/Kobelco Compressors, Loopex Packaging Products, Asian Hospital, Prudential Customs Brokerage, Perry’s Group, BJ Marthel International, Araneta Center, Inc, City Service, GG&A Club Shares, Total Nutrition Corp., Archipelago Phils. Ferries Inc, JSN, 357 Boracay, Yamaha, Gatorade, Business Mirror, Inquirer Golf and Lucerne.

Tommy Manotoc and Abe Rosal lead the low gross battle with 66, two ahead of Martin Lorenzo and JP Reyes and three up on JB Garcia and King Stehmeier.