INQUIRER Sports

SILANG, CAVITE, Philippines ? Reigning national amateur champion Mark Fernando closed out with a three-under-par 68 on Friday and easily topped the qualifying tournament for members of the Philippine golf team to the Southeast Asian Games in Laos in December.

Fernando, who opened the tournament lifelessly with a five-over card after his first three holes, pooled 279 and won by six shots over Jonel Ababa, who cracked par at the difficult Langer course of the Riviera for the first time with a 70.

Tontlits Asistio and Rufino Bayron rounded out the RP squad after finishing third and fourth, respectively, in the 72-hole qualifier.

Asistio, who shared or led after each of the first two rounds, finished a shot behind Ababa at 286 after a 73, the same card of Bayron.

It was Bayron?s last-gasp qualification, though, that highlighted final-round action. The slim long-hitter from Davao edged out Peter Villaber by a shot with a 288 and completed his rally from the near-bottom of the pack.

Bayron had a 76 in the first round on Tuesday.

Villaber, who was looking to make it to his first national squad, shot his worst score for the week?a 74?which knocked him out of the third spot he had occupied after the first three rounds.

United States-based Judson Eustaquio failed to join the squad after finishing in sixth spot with a 292.

Dave Hernandez, Mari Hechanova and Bing Bunyi, meanwhile, took the three spots available in the Senior RP squad competing in the Asia-Pacific Golf Championship as they topped their separate 54-hole qualifier that ended Thursday.

Hernandez finished with a 226 after a 78 while Hechanova had an 83 for a 237. Bunyi rallied with an 81 and edged erstwhile third-running Pepot Iñigo for the last spot with a 245. Iñigo limped with an 87 and wound up with a 246.

They will join seeded players Richie Garcia, Iggy Clavecilla and Tommy Manotoc.