BAGUIO CITY – Manila Southwoods closed out on Wednesday with 122, a fourth straight flight best to claim its seventh straight title in the centerpiece Fil Championship of the 70th Fil-Am Invitational Golf Tournament at the Baguio Country Club (BCC) golf course.
It was again a double celebration for the Carmona, Cavite squad as its younger team also won the Am Championship at the Camp John Hay (CJH) golf course also in a rout.
It is, however, a triple celebration for the tournament’s most decorated team as Aguri Iwasaki took the top individual plum just a day after his birthday on Dec. 17.
When the day started with an overcast sky, surprise top man Lanz Uy woke up with a fever that made him too weak to even lift a club and its youngest member, Sean Ramos, had diarrhea and did not play, Southwoods played a four-man team for a closing round of 122 for 546 aggregate and a 55-point victory.
Taisei Shimizu top-scored for Southwoods with 34, Iwasaki had 32, while Aidric Chan improved to 31 and Uy managed 25 for another dominating performance for the team.
“These are very talented kids and they will surely adjust the next day. But then, some of them are just really sick,” said team captain Thirdy Escaño, who stopped counting the trophies of Southwoods which started playing in 1997.
“Uy could have done better. He thrives in this course. But then he is very underrated,” said Escaño of his surprise top gun, who took the CJH course with an eight-under, including what could be the best seven under on day two.
He led the squad on day three with 33. His fever cost him the individual plum which went to Iwasaki.
Aguri finished with 140 points, two better than Uy (138) and another two on compatriot Shimizu (136).
Forest Hills came in with a 111 for a 491, just two off Royal Northwoods as the two settled for second and third places, respectively.
Forest Hills was led by Rocky Co with 31, while Iñigo Raymundo, Dan Cruz, and Jude Eustaquio counted with 29, 27 and 24, in that order.
Stephen Sul became the only player from the top tier championship flight to break par with his 36 points to lead Northwoods to 114.
Backing him are Nik Gatmaytan with 28, Joaquin Hernandez with 27 and Gido Mandanas with 21.
Team Time Cargo had 93 with former Southwoods stalwart Junjun Plana leading with 28 points.
The team finished with 448 points. Josh Jorge closed out a 36 to lead Southwoods Am squad with 119 and 463 total for a 29-point victory in Am Championship.
Also counting for Southwoods are Jeff Jung and Masaichi Otake with 28 and Santino Laurel with 27.
Ricky delos Santos led Batangas Barakos to 110 and 434 aggregate to bag a second place, nine off Forest Hills which had 117 for 423.
Islander Mizuno finished fourth with 407 after a 107.
Meanwhile, Ventureslink -Robros Jayworx took the last day easily, nearly matching its day three total with an 88 for 397 total and a 13-point victory in Fil B.
Baguio Country Club had a great escape after outscored by Summit Point Golf and Country Club 88-87 in the last day of competition but still took the bridesmaid trophy with its 384 against the latter’s 383.
In Am B, Joseph Oliver Uy led a vicious fourth round attack and scored 30 to pace X1R Mizuno’s scorching closing round of 113 to tie third-round leader Srixon with 382 points.
But Mizuno took the champion’s trophy through countback when its fifth man, Raymond Co, who did not count, outpointed Srixon’s fifth, Bart Borja 21-15 to give the former the top podium.
Srixon had a closing round of 103 to take second place, while Crown Legacy fell short of its own rally scoring 110 for a 381 total.
Royal Northwoods – El Masfino had an 88 for a 380 aggregate and a 13-point victory in Fil C.
Dugong Bughaw finished second with 367 after an 80, while Ultraflite Golf Club I is third with 358 after an 82.
Mountaineers Golf Team II closed with a 103 for an even 400 and a 25-point victory in Am C.
BCC overtook co-host John Hay when it scored a flight best 110, ironically at the latter’s home course, for 375 and a 10 point margin. John Hay had a closing round of 91 for 365.
K&G MGC closed with an 81 for a 360 aggregate to win Fil D by 27 points.
Macquarie Links Sydney finished second with a 333 after a 75, and a seven-shot margin on third-placed Team Integral which closed with a 70.
Central Florida / VST had a closing round of 93 for 338 points to move past Team Surigao for the top podium.
Surigao finished with an 86 for a 335 to settle for second place, while Cool Jocks had 87 for 329 which is good for third place.
Islander Mizuno had a 66 and 330 total for a 17 point victory in Fil E.
Razcals I suffered a two-point penalty but comfortably took second place with 313.
At third is Tieza Club Intramuros Golf Course A with 302 after a 66.
Tieza Club Intramuros was penalized twice but managed to win with 267, seven off Uragun Golf which finished second with 260.
Macquarie Links Sydney finished third with 248. (PNA)
