Avena bucks putt mishap on 4th hole, widens lead

ABE Avena all but put a second Philippine Senior Amateur title away Thursday after pulling away by eight strokes from a dumbfounded field despite scrambling for a level 72 at Summit Point in Lipa City.

The real-estate developer, who turns 60 in October, opened with a 70 on Wednesday and his 142 total practically put him beyond reach going into today’s final round of the 54-hole event.

Obscure Alan Alegre is Avena’s chief pursuer after a similar 72 for 150, with the veteran Benjie Sumulong another two shots behind after submitting a 76.

Rolly Viray, one of a handful of men to have won the Men’s Philippine Amateur and Senior’s titles in his career, shot himself in the foot with a 79, going 11 down from four back at the start of the day.

Avena, who first won this tournament in 2013, could have pulled farther away if not for a three-putt bogey on No. 4 and a double bogey-6 on the seventh, which happened in a rather bizarre manner.

Left with a four-footer for par after a brilliant blast from the greenside trap, Avena got a wrong advice from his caddy over the break of the par-saving putt.

In his disgust, what was supposed to be a tap-in from gimme distance rolled all the way back to the fringe. He said he was lucky enough to make that long one for that double bogey.

“I also can’t explain what happened,” Avena told the Inquirer. “I guess it was out of frustration.” Musong R. Castillo