MANILA—Richard Joson of Royal Northwoods outclassed Valley Golf’s Adrian Mauricio, 3 and 2, to capture the men’s title of the 2011 Samsung National Tournament of Club Champions at the Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club in Gen. Trias, Cavite, over the weekend.
The second-seeded Joson kept the momentum of his impressive wins over Mt. Malarayat’s Gerald Katigbak, 5 and 4, and Cho Han-pyo of Eagle Ridge, 7 and 5, to rule the annual tournament among champions of the country’s leading golf clubs.
Ayala Greenfields’ Carmela Lee kept her nerve in a down-the-wire battle for the ladies crown, nipping top seed Tina Gonzales of Orchard, 1-up, after 19 holes at the Faldo layout.
The win capped a stirring title run by the third-ranked Lee, who also edged No. 2 Olive Yoon of Mt. Malarayat, 1-up, to gain a crack at the title in the sixth staging of the event sponsored by Samsung and held in partnership with the Eagle Ridge GCC and its developers Sta. Lucia Realty and Alsons Land, Inc. and Inquirer Golf.
Top seed Lino Magpantay of Tagaytay Midlands foiled Tomas Joson’s bid for a double by the Royal Northwoods bets as he churned out a 3-and-2 victory for the seniors plum in the tournament backed by Microtel as official hotel, Airphil Express, Mizuno, Glucoscare Tea, Footjoy and Titleist by Empire, Custom Clubmakers and Omnisource International and Rizgolf Trophies.
Canlubang’s Joey Huerva dominated Rancho Palos Verdes’ Kuresh Samanodi, 7 and 6, to annex the men’s title in the special division for under-26 players, while Canlubang’s Erika Morihiro held off AFP GC’s Matet Salivio, 1-up, to clinch the ladies championship.
All winners received Samsung Galaxy Tabs during the awards rites graced by Odette Velarde, Samsung corporate marketing manager, and Eagle Ridge general manager Buddy Resurreccion. Two round-trip tickets to Singapore, courtesy of AirPhil Express, were raffled off.
Meanwhile, the world-leading electronics firm resumes its support to local golf next week as it stages the Samsung Interscholastic Golf Championships on June 8 to 10 at the North course of the Canlubang golf complex in Laguna.
The top players and rising stars from the junior ranks and leading schools are expected to participate.