BAGUIO CITY — With Jun Plana leading the way, defending champion Manila Southwoods finished with 136 points on Monday to catch Luisita at the helm with identical 266 after two rounds in the centerpiece Fil-Championship of the 73rd Januarius Fil-Am Golf Invitational held at the Camp John Hay (CJH) Golf Club.
Mr. Plana, who joined Southwoods’ senior team last year, turned back the hands of time with a splendid performance of a bogey-free, five-under 64 for 41 points. Bong Brobio contributed 35 and Theody Pascural added 32. The 28 of either Raul Miñoza or Manfred Guangko counted as the fourth score.
“I felt good when I birdied the first hole at No. 10. My plan is to hit the green to have an opportunity to make a birdie. It worked,” said Mr. Plana, who hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation at the par-69 CJH layout.
Luisita, whose last championship crown was in 2018, was paced by former Canlubang member Abe Rosal with 39 points. Benjie Sumulong, golf director of Alabang Country Club, had 33 and Dan Cruz accounted for 30. Rodel Mangulabnan tallied a 29 for the Tarlac-based team’s 131 output.
“As I predicted, the championship will be decided in the last two days at Baguio Country Club,” (BCC) noted Luisita skipper Jeric Hechanova as the competition heads to the shorter but tougher BCC’s par-61 course.
Greenwater Seniors was not too far behind with 259. Ferdie Barbosa was top man with 38 points and was backed up by the 30s of Wan Soo Kim and Roland Punzalan and 29 of Tommy Manotoc. Forest Hills (241) and Mamala Bay (213) completed the top five.
In the Am-Championship played at BCC, Southwoods’ Team 2 slowed down with a 91 but was still in command with 187, 14 points up on second running Riviera (92-173). Srixon-IMG, last year’s runner up, occupied third spot with 93-166 followed by Leeward 69-149 and former winner Megafiber 74-146. — Artemio A. Dumlao