Manila Southwoods virtual Fil-Am champ

BAGUIO—Powerhouse Manila Southwoods sizzled anew with 129 points in yesterday’s third round at Baguio Country Club and all but clinched its first Fil-Championship crown in five years with an unbridgeable 30-point lead at the 65th San Miguel Fil-Am Invitational golf tournament here.

Southwoods spearhead Justin Quiban added 34 points to his 41 and 38 in the first two rounds at Camp John Hay as the Carmona, Cavite-based squad widened a 13-point lead overnight with a 415 total, 30 points clear of Ventureslink-AAV Builders-Robros, which took over second spot after a 121 and 385.

Yuto Katsuragawa contributed 33 points and Tonlits Asistio and Chepe Dulay carded 31 each to round out scoring for Southwoods. The 25 of veteran Jun Jun Plana failed to count in the five-to-play, four-to-count format.

Erstwhile second-running San Miguel Corp. managed 107 and dropped out of contention with 380 like defending champion Mizuno Superstars (128) heading to the final round, also to be played at BCC, today.

Royal Northwoods also fell farther back in fourth spot with 110 for 374.

Southwoods skipper Thirdy Escaño said they would remain focused despite the huge lead.

“I told [the players] to focus and play their game the way they did in the first three days,” said Escaño, a member of the last Southwoods champion team in 2009. “It’s a big lead but that’s no reason to celebrate yet.”

While the team championship a cinch for Southwoods, the battle for individual honors could go down the wire as national champion Rupert Zaragosa of Ventureslink fired 35 points—one-over-par 62 in medal play—for a 112 total, just a point off Quiban’s 113.

Katsuragawa lay third on 107.

Ariel Villacencio carded 33 points and Ricar Cadinato and Raymund Gonzales added 28 and 25, respectively, for Ventureslink.

Raymund Sangil shot the day’s best of 37 for Mizuno Superstars, which also drew a 31 from Justin Limjap and a pair of 30s from King Stehmeier and Rodel Mangulabnan.

Lanz Uy carded 28 points and JP De Claro and Ira Alido contributed 27 and 26, respectively for San Miguel which slipped in the standings as former pro Eddie Bagtas managed a paltry 26.