South keeps 4-pt margin

Mia Piccio and Lovelyn Guioguio gutted out a 1-up victory over Dottie Ardina and the veteran Mary Grace Estuesta as Team South salvaged a 2-2 draw in the foursomes yesterday to keep its four-point lead over the North in the Philippine Ladies Golf Tour’s The Duel at South Links in Las Piñas.

A routine par on the 17th hole was enough to give the Piccio-Guioguio tandem a one-hole lead after the match that had been all-square for the first 16 holes.

The Southerners, who came from behind to win the duel last year, now need just 2.5 points in today’s singles matches to retain the championship in the Ryder Cup-style event.

“We’re happy to stay four points ahead,” skipper Sylvia Torre said. “But this is golf and anything can still happen (on the final day).”

Chihiro Ikeda and Sarah Ababa posted the other victory for Team South, scoring a 5-and-4 thumping of the Heidi Chua-Jan Punzalan combine.

The North, blanked in the first four matches (better ball) on Tuesday, finally got on the board after Jayvie Agojo and Lucy Landicho bamboozled the Anya Tanpinco-Tracy Que pair, 6 and 5.

Cyna Rodriguez, the North’s spearhead, put up her first point of the tie by teaming up with the veteran Lina de Guzman for a 4-and-2 triumph over Eva Miñoza and Apple Fudolin.

There are a total of eight singles matches up today and the North would have to be nothing short of dominant to be able to prevent the Southerners from repeating as champions.

Last year, the South won five of the eight matches on the final day to erase a two-point deficit and prevail.