Bagtas rules Mid-Am Seniors by 3

Eddie Bagtas used a hot start to regain command and then played steady the rest of the way to rule the Senior Division of the Mid-Am Series by three shots over Dave Hernandez yesterday at Malarayat in Lipa City.

The former pro who powered Luisita to the PAL Senior tournament last year gunned down three birdies on his first five holes on the way to a two-under-par 70 and a 217 total over the Mounts Makulot and Malipunyo nines.

Hernandez, the Calatagan golf manager who started the day ahead by two, closed out with a 75 and settled for second place.

Bagtas and Hernandez will be the spearheads of the Philippine team that will play in the Asia-Pacific Senior Championship later this year. Tommy Manotoc and Iggy Clavecilla were past individual champions of that event.

Gerald Katigbak, meanwhile, fired a 77 and claimed the Mid-Am title by a shot over Damas Wong, who failed to force a playoff by missing a five-foot birdie putt on the 54th hole.

Katigbak, a club member, tallied 223, while Wong, who rallied with a final round of 72, totaled 224.

Park Min-ung, the Korean expatriate who is a former junior match play champion, completed a wire-to-wire triumph in the Elite Open category after a 71 for a one-under-215 in the event sponsored by San Miguel, SMDC, DLSUMC, Callaway, Oakley, Golf Depot (Ping/Sligo), Mizuno, Finix and Inframachineries.

The other winners were Chez Roque (Mid Am 1), Arnie Fuentebella (Mid Am 2), Jesus dela Pena (Senior 1), Bing Bunye (Senior 2), and Mario Lugay (Super Senior).  Musong R. Castillo