Team South sweeps North in fourball

MANILA, Philippines - Team South underscored its readiness to keep the ICTSI Ladies Philippine Golf Tour’s Duel 2 – North vs South crown as it swept all four matches against the North squad in fourball in an explosive start at the South Links Golf Club in Las Piñas yesterday.

Chihiro Ikeda and Sarah Ababa outplayed Heidi Chua and Lucy Landicho and romped off with a 4&3 victory while Mia Piccio and Apple Fudolin humbled fancied Cyna Rodriguez and Mary Grace Estuesta, 3&1, to set the tone for the rout in the better-ball format.

Eva Miñoza and Lovelynn Guioguio outsteadied fancied Jayvie Agojo and Lina de Guzman and pulled off a 1-up win while Anya Tanpinco and Tracy Que held off Symetra Tour veteran Dottie Ardina and Marjorie Pulumbarit, 2-up, to cap the Southerners’ domination of the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. last year.

Four points up and all-pumped up, the defending champions shoot for a commanding lead as action resumes today with the foursomes with Ababa and Ikeda teaming up again against Chua against a debuting Punzalan at 7 a.m.

“It was all about teamwork. Everybody clicked that’s why we got good results,” said Sylvia Torres, team captain of the South squad. “We hope to do the same tomorrow (today). We’ll have fun and play pressure-free.”

Tanpinco and Que also link up again as they take on Agojo and Landicho while Piccio switches partner and takes in Guioguio as they face Ardina and Estuesta in a duel of the fancied pairs.

Miñoza, meanwhile, partners with Fudolin as they anchor Team South’s bid against Rodriguez and De Guzman in the final group at 7:30 a.m.

While Team North is raring to strike back in the alternate-shot format, the Southerners remain confident of their chances to repeat and build some kind of a big cushion heading to the deciding singles matches tomorrow.

“We had it rough out there today (yesterday) but we had down-to-the-wire matches with Dottie and Jayvie’s groups,” said Chua, skipper of Team North. “Actually, when I saw the pairings, I told my team that we have good, exciting match-ups. But at the end of the day, it is what it is, Team South outplayed us. But tomorrow (today) is another day and I truly believe that the North can come back strong and surprise the South and win. We’ll go out there fighting

The North squad dominated the foursomes and fourball last year but succumbed to Team South’s sizzling charge in the singles as the latter snatched the crown in last year’s inaugurals of the event sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. and backed by Nike, Pacsports, Custom Clubmakers and Sharp.

The first team to win 8.5 points clinches the crown.

Meanwhile, Raymund Gonzales fired a four-under 68 at Eagle Ridge’s Aoki course yesterday to pace the four-day Qualifying School for next year’s ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour.

Richard Sinfuego and Jet Mathay matched par 72s while Jobim Carlos and Nilo Salahog carded identical 73s as they put themselves in early contention for the 45 slots for next’s year’s golfing season.