Thursday, November 30, 2006 Golden Oats, John Hay gear for showdown
ON A BAD day, the best amateur can only do his worse but Freddie Mendoza offers no excuse as the Golden Oats Plus scrambled and stumbled and gave up 13 points to rival Camp John Hay for a jittery two point lead going to the final round today in the Seniors Fil-Championship of the 57th Fil-Am Invitational Golf at the Baguio Country Club course.
"It's a battle royale," summed Clyde Cabreros of CJH as his team has to catch up on the visiting squad in a battle of two champions, one from a lower flight.
Cabreros, who leads the Fil-Championship seniors individual race with 97 points, actually did not play good scoring just 30 points at the short and tricky par 61 BCC course while the best they can come up with was 31 by Fred Puckett, but Golden Oats Plus played even worse shooting a measly 95 points for 342, just two off the "home" team.
"We played our bad game. We are not pro that we can always play consistently," said Mendoza, who top scored with 28 for Golden Oats.
"That is their advantage though. They know the courses (BCC and CJH) so well and we are just 'tourist players'. This is a familiarity fight," he added.
Florene delos Santos made 25, Bong Sison chipped in 22 while Jun Fontanilla and Eugene Arriesgado had a pair of 20s, one of which did not count in the five to play, four to count tournament for the two time Fil Championship titlist.
The most consistent player so far, Bob Paterson, made his third 24 points, while Nelson Eslao had 23, but newbie Jun Cabiles did not count anew with his 19 as John Hay, which won the first two editions of the seniors Fil A title, finished with 108.
It was good recovery for John Hay, which played a so-so second round at its home course and was outgunned by the visiting Golden Oats, 109-123.
Nueva Ecija even outshot Golden Oats with 100 for 327 and good for third spot.
But the weather is turning for the worse and a possible repeat of the 2004 first edition of the Fil-Am seniors when Manila Southwoods, composed practically of the same players playing for Golden Oats, won the rain shortened event as typhoon Winnie unleashed her fury.
Typhoon Reming is fast approaching the Northern Luzon area that may threaten the showdown of the two golf teams in the premier Fil Championship flight.
Belyn Holdings/Mizuno Seniors lays claim on the Fil A title even with just a day left after shooting 97 for 304 points, 23 off Manila Southwoods which had a 96 for 281.
Baguio Country Club runs third with 272 after a 90.
A move to the BCC is also good Club Intramuros as it fired 94 points and move up to first from third going into the final round.
Rupert Bayocot had 26 points and power the team to the flight high 94 as the team amassed a three day total of 260, six off C-lium Fibre and two more off two day leader T & T which limped home with 71 at the short par-61 BCC course.
Over at the CJH course, Camp Aguinaldo continues to increase its lead in the Am Championship competition after making 94 points for a three day total of 290 that is 36 shots off CJH which made 91 for 256.
Subic Gas is another 29 shots down with 227.
The shift to CJH proved a disaster for the BCC Seniors as it only made 73 points and found itself staring at a 12-point deficit on Isabela GC I Seniors, which took advantage of the longer fairways to come out with the flight best of 102 points.
Ferdinand Ambatali had 28, Expedito Gumiran with 27, the 25 of Melacio Asis 22 of Constinto Joson for 102 and three-day total of 258.
Only Vadz Navarrete scored at least a respectable 21 for the host team who was leading Isabela by 17 points before the disastrous penultimate round. Philippine Seniors Founders is another three shot down with 243 after an 84.
Isabela GC III-Seniors shot an 84 for an aggregate 239 and widened its lead to 11 over Aloha GC, which made 75 for 228. T&T has 219 after a 73, which is good for third spot. (Pigeon Lobien)
