Manotocs key Wack Wack Federation League title romp

MANILA, Philippines—Wack Wack ended a 10-year title drought when it turned back Valley in their home-and-away showdown for the Men’s Federation League crown over the weekend.

Tommy Manotoc and his two sons, Gabriel and Matthew, starred in the title romp as they led their partners to crucial victories in a final 6-4 result at their home course in Mandaluyong.

It was actually Wack Wack’s second league title since 2001, when they won for the first time.

Valley, which lost to Riviera last year, took a 3-2 lead on its home course in Antipolo on Friday, but Wack Wack reversed the outcome with a 4-1 result last Sunday.

The grizzled veteran Tommy partnered with Lito Tan in a massive 8-and-6 rout of Damasus Wong and Joey Ramoso in greensomes to tie the overall count at 3-3 and get Wack Wack’s rally going.

Gabriel then teamed up with EJ Marcelo in a 5-and-4 manhandling of Valley’s Eddie Boy Lopez and Jeff Bernaldez for the go-ahead point in high-low play.

The decisive points for Wack Wack came almost simultaneously from John Gobing and Kit Lopez and Matthew Manotoc and Buddy Velayo.

Gobing-Lopez outplayed Edmund Yee and Zaldy Villa, 4 and 3, in best ball and Manotoc-Velayo crushed Butch Bakunawa and RJ Barreto, 5 and 4, in the aggregate format.

Chino Raymundo and Raymund scored the lone point for Valley, beating Sammy Sy and Hubert Lim in the scramble format.

Wack Wack earlier reached the finals with another come-from-behind victory over Alabang in the semifinals while Valley made it to the title match for the second straight year after ousting Eastridge in the tournament that featured member clubs of the Federation of Golf Clubs Philippines, Inc.