Carlos-Raymundo shares lead with Alido-Chan

MANILA, Philippines – Inigo Raymundo wavered at the finish and matched partner Jobim Carlos’ two-over 70 as they settled for a 140 and a share of the lead with Aidric Chan and Ira Alido in the second round of the NGAP’s fifth National Doubles Amateur Golf Championship at Camp Aguinaldo Golf Club in QC yesterday.

Raymundo fumbled with a bogey on an errant drive on the par-5 18th for a closing 33 and a 70 while Carlos also stumbled with a horrendous quadruple bogey on the par-3 16th marred by an errant pitch near a wall that hit a slope, the ball bouncing back and hitting him in the chin for a two-stroke penalty. He later overshot the green twice before chipping in for that 7.

The pro-bound Carlos, however, birdied the last hole to salvage a 70 for that 140 in the aggregate format in the centerpiece Group I.

Counting their 64 in the four-ball Sunday, Raymundo and Carlos pooled a 204 to tie Chan and Alido, who sizzled with a solid eight-under 62 in best-ball but could only churn out a 142 in aggregate as Chan faltered with a 40 and 36 for an eight-over 76.

That nearly put to naught Alido’s fiery 66 spiked by a backside two-under 31, enabling Raymundo and Carlos, who ruled the inaugural staging of the event in 2011 with Raymundo Gonzales, to force a standoff and virtually reducing the title race into a two-team affair with one round left in the three-day championship held under the PLDT Group National Amateur Golf Tour and sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation, Smart, PLDT and Metro Pacific Investment Corp.

Ryan Monsalve and Lanz Uy dropped five shots behind at 209 after a 146 while Jama Reyes and Tom Kim also pooled a 146 for a 211 and Justin Quiban and Miguel Shah laying another stroke behind at 212 after a 143.
Eddie Bagtas and Jolo Magcalayo also groped for form with a 145 for a 213 while last year’s champion Rupert Zaragosa fired a one-under 67 but new partner Joey Magcalayo skied with a 79 for a 146 and 214 heading to the two-ball foursome or alternate shot format in today’s final round of the National Golf Association of the Philippines’ final event in the season hosted by CAGC.

Cassy Isagawa carded a 70 and cushioned the impact of teammate’s Regina de Guzman’s six-over 74 as they pooled a 144 to grab a four-stroke lead over Harmie Constantino and Jona Magcalayo in Group III.

Constantino actually put in an impressive three-under 65 but Jona Magcalayo made a dismal 80 for a 145 and a 215 even as erstwhile leader Marvi Monsalve and Daniella Uy fatlered with a 154 after an opening 66 to tumbled to third at 220.

Carlos and Raymundo could’ve actually pulled away from the pack if not for the former’s misadventure on the No. 16 that saw him overshoot a 6-iron tee shot near the wall. He, however, shrugged off the mishap and fought back with a par and a birdie to stay in the hunt for a second crown.