Canlubang shares PAL golf lead with Luisita

MANILA, Philippines — Luisita’s top gun Eddie Bagtas wavered at the finish with four bogeys, including a flubbed tap-in on the final hole, ending up with 48 points and enabling Canlubang to force a tie at 139 with the defending champions at the start of the PAL Seniors Interclub in Bacolod yesterday.

The arch rivals struggled on Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club’s putting surface all day with nobody breaking the 50-point barrier with Jingy Tuason and Demetrio Saclot backing the ex-pro Bagtas’ output with 46 and 45 points under the Molave scoring system.

“I lost my temper,” said Bagtas of his last-hole mishap that came on the heels of three straight bogeys.

Still, Luisita team captain Jeric Hechanova was relieved of the outcome despite a bad day on the unpredictable greens.

Canlubang actually had a chance to wrest the lead in the final foursome but spearhead Tommy Manotoc holed out with a three-putt mishap on the ninth, their final hole, and wound up with 46 points.

“It was a bad putt,” rued Manotoc, who charged back after fumbling with a seven-over par card after nine holes.

But Abe Avena came through with 48 points while Damasus Wong chipped in 45 markers to help Canlubang’s opening-day campaign in the 34th staging of the annual event.

Failing to count for their respective teams were Cangolf’s Zaldy Villa and Chino Raymundo of Luisita, who scored 44 and 38 points, respectively.

The two teams’ early struggle likewise enabled the host to stay in the hunt with 135 points while Cebu Country Club groped for 125 markers in the centerpiece Championship division.

Negros drew 49 points from Edwin Ordoñez while Francis Gaston and Chito Garcia churned out 43 markers each.

Del Monte Golf Club loomed as a potential challenger while campaigning in the Founders division, assembling 134 points behind Ramon Velez’ day-best 51 points. He, however, failed to get solid backup from Erning Apas and Romeo Bautista, who shot 44 and 39 points, respectively.

Its strong start likewise put Del Monte two points ahead Orchard (132) in its division with Eagle Ridge and Manila Southwoods scoring 130 and 125, respectively.