Gary Sales of Villamor, Rita Horan of Alabang and Arnold Duay of Valley carded the best rounds in their divisions to secure the top seeding at the start of the Philippine Golf Foundation National Tournament of Club Champions Monday at the Aoki course of Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club in Gen. Trias, Cavite.
Sales, an ex-pro, fired a one-over-par 73 to emerge top qualifier in the men’s division, Horan carded a 78 and relied on a better tiebreak score to clinch the No. 1 spot in the ladies’ category and Duay’s 78 was tops in the seniors’ class as the trio head into the quarterfinals of the tournament revived after a two-year hiatus.
Action resumes tomorrow with the round of 16 at Ayala Southlinks course in Las Piñas with Brixton Aw (Riviera) battling Joel Manlutac (Beverly Place) and Niko Santiano (Ayala Greenfields) colliding with Andrei Cornejo (Iloilo) in the men’s division and Ed Abesamis (Tagaytay) taking on Renato Alejandria (Ayala Greenfields) in the seniors’ event.
The ladies’ side will feature Eden Hernandez (Eagle Ridge) against Gilda Medestomas (Riviera), Diane Jang (Southwoods) opposite Joy Sevilla (Valley), Jo Barredo (Villamor) tackling Isa Lorenzo (Manila Golf), Maricel Amor (Royale Tagaytay) battling Kim Jun-young (Baguio) and Mela Lee (Ayala Greenfields) versus Arline Ward (Mimosa).
Horan actually tied Kyung Jung-hee of Tagaytay Highlands but took the spot due to a better back-nine score. Kyung still advanced to the next round along with Matet Salivio of Aguinaldo (79).
Sales edged Allan Alegre of Summit Point by a stroke while Duay finished two strokes ahead of Orchard’s Oh Jie-Sik.
The scores:
Ladies’ Division: Rita Horan (Alabang) 78, Kyung Jung-hee (Tagaytay Highlands) 78, Matet Salivio (Aguinaldo) 79, Isa Lorenzo (Manila Golf) 82, Diane Jang (Southwoods) 84, Maricel Amor (Royale Tagaytay) 85, Mela Lee (Ayala Greenfields) 85, Eden Hernandez (Eagle Ridge) 86, Gilda Medestomas (Anvaya/Riviera) 86, Arline Ward (Mimosa) 86, Kim Jun-young (Baguio) 87, Joy Sevilla (Valley) 95, Jo Barredo (Villamor) 95; Men’s Division: Gary Sales (Villamor) 73, Alan Alegre (Summit Point) 74, Gerald Katigbak (Malarayat) 76, Joseph Tambunting (Southwoods) 78, Rodel Mangulabnan (Northwoods) 78, Ricky delos Santos (Aguinaldo) 78, Niko Santiano (Ayala Greenfields) 78, Brixton Aw (Riviera) 78, Joel Manlutac (Beverly Place) 88, Andrei Cornejo (Iloilo) 89; Seniors’ Division: Arnold Duay (Valley) 78, Oh Jie-sik (Orchard) 80, Remegio de Vera (Villamor) 82, Bong Sison (Southwoods) 82, Mike Ilano (Royale Tagaytay) 85, Edgar Dinio (Beverly Place)85, Katy Katigbak (Malarayat) 85, Ed Abesamis (Tagaytay) 88, Renato Alejandria (Ayala Greenfields) 91