John Hay cops 3rd seniors title

BAGUIO, Philippines – Camp John Hay closed out with a 111 and coasted to a 31-point romp over Manila Southwoods as it annexed its third straight seniors Fil-Championship in the Fil-Am Invitational golf tournament at the Baguio Country Club here yesterday.

Fred Puckett shot 31 points to lead the fancied team for the fourth straight day with the CJH top gun also running away with his sixth individual championship in the annual event.

John Hay wound up with a 72-hole total of 467, completing its wire-to-wire victory that started with a mere three-point lead in the first round.

Bong Mandapat and Park Jong Won had 29 points apiece, while Rudy Lockey had 24. Retired police general Clyde Cabreros didn’t count with a 21.

“Mission accomplished,” said Puckett, a CJH golf instructor.

Manila Southwoods finished with a 436 after a 97 as Florene delos Santos made 28 points, Bong Sison scored 26, and Poch Hernandez and Arnold Jumalon added 24 and 19 points, respectively.

It was the sixth title clash by CJH and Southwoods, tied with three apiece for the Fil-Champ title. Delos Santos joined the Seniors Fil-Am in the 57th edition as spearhead of the Golden Oats and won three straight. Puckett and company were elevated to the Championship division after winning their third straight Fil-A crown in 2006. In 2007 and 2008, Golden Oats beat CJH for the title.

In 2009, however, delos Santos and company came back for Maxima Komatsu and frustrated CJH via countback. Maxima Komatsu’s fifth man, Freddie Mendoza, outpointed CJH’s then fifth man, Nelson Eslao, by a point to hand the win for Maxima Komatsu.

The seniors division was introduced during the 55th Fil-Am edition in 2004 for players 55 years old and older.

Tony Olives scored 28 as ABW Megafiber pooled 100 points and placed third with a 422 while Okinawa Golf Team made a 355 after a 79 for fourth.

Meanwhile, Tomas Joson III shot a 32 as Nueva Ecija Seniors finished with 111 for 413 to bag the Am Championship crown.

Manuel Bakunawa added a 28, Arnold Duay made a 27 while Joel Jan Vicente chipped in 24 points as the Nueva Ecija squad cruised to a 23-point victory over Manila Southwoods, which scored a 103 and 390.

Deposed champion CJH posted a 112 and a 378 for third.