BAGUIO CITY — Junjun Plana blitzed home with four birdies to score 34 points at the Baguio Country Club as defending champion Manila Southwoods built an 11-point cushion going into the final round of the 72nd Fil-Am Men’s Invitational golf team championships Wednesday.
The 55-year-old businessman, who started at the back, reached the turn on 3-over, four-putted the second hole for his only pickup and birdied 4, 5, 7 and 9 to counter a bogey.
“You just have to endure the back nine and try to make up at the front,” said Plana, the only player to break the 30-point barrier.
Southwoods also drew 26 points from Teody Pascual, 25 from Manfred Guangko and 24 from Raul Minoza for 109 points and 357 overall. Judd Roy did not count with 18.
Luisita, which started the day five shots behind Southwoods, pooled 103 points behind a pair of 28s from Benjie Sumulong and Dan Cruz.
Sumulong hit out of bounds twice while Cruz was slowed down by six three-putts.
Eddie Bagtas three-putted the final hole at the ninth for bogey and 25 points, who like Minoza, played his worst round at the BCC.
Marty Ilagan holed in for eagle on the fourth hole, but picked up the next two holes for 22 points. Chino Raymundo made four pickups and did not count with 19.
“Anything can still happen,” said Luisita non-playing captain Jeric Hechanova who cited Plana’s performance. “
He will be a big problem for us.”
“We need to bring our A-games tomorrow,” Sumulong said.
Riviera Golf assembled 95 points to regain third place on 317 as Mamala Bay limped home with 80 for 304.
Meanwhile, Camp John Hay Hotels and Baguio Blue Bloods captured the first senior division titles.
Ramon Luis Garcia fired 27 points at Baguio Country Club to lead CJHH to a 16-point victory over Hotel Bahia in the Fil-A division.
Garcia, a real estate consultant, totaled 104 points to place second in the Group 2 individual race.
CJHH completed four rounds with 367 points, including 85 on the final day. It also drew 22 points from John Hay’s Shean Bedi and 18 apiece from Federal Management and Maintenance Corp. CEO Jimmy Borromeo and lawyer Federico Mandapat. Ronald Samaniego, the team captain, did not count with 12.
Mario Benitez Jr., a Baguio restaurateur, was the other team member who did not play in the final round.
Hotel Bahia, playing with only four players following the withdrawal of an ailing Rudy Amata, pooled 76 for 351. The scorers were Tony Olives 23, Dasen Chen 21, Raoul Jorge 17 and Eulogio Nakpil 15.
Robros-JV Golf Team settled for third place with 327 points.
Over at Camp John Hay, BBB tallied 102 to brings its total to 344, 18 points clear of Pradera Verde.
Scoring for BBB were Mauricio Domogan 28, Romeo Aquino 27, Rudy Lockey 26 and Materno Luspian 21.
Pradera Verde closed with 90 points through Ed Manzanares 26, Willy Cabalce 24, Jojo Mercado 21 and Butch Bakunawa 19.
