South sizzles in singles, keeps title over North

MANILA, Philippines - Outplayed in team play, South banked on its individual talent and skills, whipping North in singles, 9-3, to turn a losing bid into a winning act, 12 1/2-11 1/2, and retain The Duel – North vs South diadem at Wack Wack’s East Course yesterday.

Given up for lost after yielding the fourball and foursomes matches in the first two days and trailing, 3 1/2-8 1/2, the Southerners proved they are a lot better in individual play with the power-hitting Orlan Sumcad and veteran Elmer Salvador sparking what turned out to be the biggest comeback in The Duel’s four-year history.

“We just refused to lose. They jumped the gun on us in the first two days but my guys just knew how to win,” said South skipper Jerome Delariarte with Zanieboy Gialon as assistant.

The win also made Team South the first back-to-back winner of local version’s Ryder Cup put up by ICTSI in 2012 to further foster camaraderie among the country’s leading players from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Sumcad dominated Benjie Magada in the second pairing and came away with a 7&6 rout, the same output dished out by Salvador against Randy Garalde in the last match of the 12-pair finale of the event backed by Nike Golf, Srixon, Callaway, Empire Golf, Footjoy, Titleist, Custom Clubmakers and Sharp.

Inspired by their teammates early romps, Marvin Dumandan followed up with a 2-up win over Miguel Ochoa; Cassius Casas and Clyde Mondilla disposed of Gerald Rosales and Keanu Jahns, respectively, via the same score, 3&1; Rufino Bayron routed Jun Bernis, 4&2; Tony Lascuña nipped Mars Pucay, 2&1, and Jay Bayron downed Joenard Rates, 3&1, on a clutch win on No. 17.

Those eight wins, coupled with the all-square results by Ferdie Aunzo against James Ryan Lam and Charles Hong against Miguel Tabuena, gave South a whopping nine-point result and a one-point victory over a dejected North side.

Needing just four wins out of 12 matches to re-claim the crown they won in 2013, the Northerners fell short and posted just three points with only Angelo Que and Michael Bibat delivering the wins, a 2&1 decision over Arnold Villacencio and a 1-up escape over Jhonnel Ababa, respectively.

“The clincher was the half point of Aunzo and Jay Bayron’s crucial win. But everybody played well,” said Delariarte.

Aunzo fell behind by two holes after No. 16 but Lam bogeyed the 17th and the duo hit the bunkers on their approach shots on the last hole. But Lam cracked under pressure and failed to blast out on his first try while Aunzo got onto the green in three and two putted for bogey.