Steady Avena posts 4-stroke lead in Seniors golf

MANILA, Philippines - Abe Avena shot a two-under 70 and wrested a four-shot lead over Ramontito Garcia at the start of the NGAP’s Philippine Senior Amateur Championship at the Lobo and Malipunyo layouts of Mt. Malarayat in Lipa City, Batangas yesterday.

Avena, 56, bogeyed the final hole but still posted a big lead as the rest of his pursuers struggled with over par rounds in tough conditions. He rammed in four birdies against one other bogey to put himself in early title contention in the tournament he is playing for the first time.

A former five-time club champion, Avena played his first six holes at level before gunning down three straight birdies from the seventh, leaving behind flightmates Garcia, Viray and another former champion, Francis Gaston.

Many-time seniors champion Iggy Clavecilla carded a 76 to be just six behind while Canlubang’s Mari Hechanova fired a 78 and former champion Rolly Viray was among four players who returned 79s in the event backed by the PLDT Amateur Golf Tour, Pacsports and Club Car.

Gaston groped for an 80 like another former winner, Dave Hernandez, and stood 10 shots off Avena in the 54-hole tournament organized and conducted by NGAP.

Meanwhile, Riviera president Danny Pizarro scored a hole-in-one on No. 8 of the Lobo nine and went on to shoot an 80 to trail Super Senior leader Ochiai Masatsugu by three in the event for players 70-74 years old.

Pizarro used a Callaway 8-iron and a Titleist ProV1x ball in acing the 128-yard hole, the ninth of his career.