Jorge Gallent and Junjun Plana collected their fifth straight overall gross title as their main rivals failed to mount a challenge on the wind-swept final day of the 35th Mango Tee at the Alabang Country Club in Muntinlupa Saturday.
Plana was at Manila Southwoods playing golf when he learned of the news.
“We’re happy to pull off another win,” said the 55-year-old veteran, preparing for his senior debut in the Philippine Airlines Interclub team championships later this month in Cebu City.
Gallent, on the other hand, was presiding over the San Miguel Beer basketball practice when he got the call.
“Happy to win the gross with Jun for the fifth time. Awesome tour and the course was in great condition,” Gallent said.
Plana said their first-round 74 points made during calm conditions last Monday proved to be the key to victory. That enabled them to take a 10-point lead over their nearest rivals.
Despite slowing down with 64 Thursday, the multi-titled pair finished seven points ahead of runners-up Francis Tueres and Don Breganza going into the final day.
Gallent carded 39-31 while Plana posted 35-33 as the pair finished the tournament with 138 points.
Three teams tipped to foil the five-peat aspirations of Gallent and Plana came up short.
Aian Arcilla and Jet Mathay produced the best effort, combining 66 points to move up to third place with 130 points.
Arcilla made four birdies against four bogeys and a double bogey on the course’s most difficult hole on 4 to wind up with 34 points.
Mathay, on the other hand, chalked up 32 points.
KING Stehmeier blasts out of the greenside bunker on the 16th green at the Alabang Country Club. He closed with 30 points.
King Stehmeier and Erik Escalona, both reigning club champions, could only produce 58 points for 122.
Stehmeier, the ACC kingpin, eagled the short par-5 13th hole but was saddled with six bogeys and a pickup to submit 30 points.
Escalona, the Riviera Golf and Country Club titlist, made only two birdies against four bogeys, a double bogey, and a pickup.
Tommy Manotoc and Abe Rosal, the third team with a realistic chance of foiling Gallent and Plana, also closed with 58 points to share sixth with Stehmeier and Escalona with 122 points.
“The winds came too early today, making things difficult to mount a rally,” said Manotoc who made only one birdie against eight bogeys and a pickup for 27 points.
“But we enjoyed playing. The greens were close to USGA specs.”
Rosal did not make a single birdie while making five bogeys to wind up with 31 points.
The winds also proved beneficial for the overnight leaders in the overall net and four groups.
Raymond Anthony Mendoza and Paulo Legaspi captured the overall net with 150 points, three years after bagging the Class C crown in their debut.
The other group winners were Jake Corporal-David Ong (145) in Group A, Raymond Lacdao-Ogie Caja (144) in Group B, Fernando Tizon-Hector Villanueva (143) in Group C, and Philip Lee-Marc Lee (142) in Group D.
DEREK Ramsay scratches his head after missing a putt on the 16th green in the final day of the 35th Mango Tee.
The event was presented by Smart, Petron, San Miguel, and Jewelmer.
The Turf Company, National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, Philippine Business Bank/Zesto, Merry Mart and Global Ferronickel served as the major sponsors.
Also supporting the Mango Tee as premium sponsors were Unilab and Jewelmer.
Hole-in-one sponsors are Auto Nation Group Inc., Volvo Cars Phils., Lexus Philippines, Citimotors, Gransportivo, Venture Motorcycle Sales Corp., G&W Clubshares, and Starlux.
Hole sponsors included Ayala Land, Asian Hospital, Tipsy Pig, Cotecna, Delta Neo/El Jardin, CTBC Bank, Golfers Clubshare, GG&A Clubshare, Alog Company, IQOS, iPrudential, 515 Group, Standard Insurance, Icoon Company; City Service, Pacsports, Srixon, Golf Depot, Airport House of Wine, Ralphs Wine, 357 Boracay, Omnisource, Prestige Golf Access and Clubshares Inc., S&R, Mamalous, Bluesmith, Barcino, Fusion Pro, Primea Discovery, Marriot Manila and Courtyard Marriot.
Daily Tribune was the event’s media partner.
