Yap-Muñeses duo rules 27th Coral golf

The weather was cold yesterday, but not the duo of Wendell Yap and  Nelson Muñeses which bagged the overall title of the 27th Coral Invitational at the Cebu Country Club.

Yap and Muñeses scored a two-day total of 174 points on rounds of 85 and 89 to run away with the crown.

In the opening round, Yap made 40 and Muñeses, who is based in the

US, but comes home to Cebu regularly to join tournaments, scored 45.  Yesterday, Yap made only 39, but the 14-under-par 50 points of his partner was more than enough to give them the title.

First runner-up honors went to the team of Edward Go and Justice Francisco Acosta with a total of 169 on rounds of 84 and 85.  Go scored 44 and 38 while Acosta made 40 and 47 in the Modified Stableford  Scoring System.

Patrick Cymmon Go and Tommy Tabanas finished second runner-up with 168 on rounds of 83 and 85.

Third runner-up was the team of Nelson Yuvallos and Lorenzo Alaan with 165 on rounds of 87 and 78.

Ernesto Siguan and Adonis Baluyot were fourth runner-up with 164 (80-84) and fifth runner-up was the team of Gabriel Yap, Jr. and Anthony Bejar with 163 (82-81).

The lowest gross title went to the tandem of Carl Almario and Enrico Solon who scored rounds of 71 and 65.

Almario, a former pro, scored 33 and 32 while Solon shot two-under-par  38 on the first day and made three-over-par 33 on the second.

The best score for the first round plum went to Andrew Si and Richard Lim, who made 85 while Henry Chin Uy and Edwin Espina, who scored 88 points won the best score for the second round award.

Seniors’ Division

Dr. Jun Larrazabal and Ed Enriquez topped this category for teams  whose

players have a total age of 120 years or older.

Larrazabal and Enriquez scored a total of 159 points on rounds of 76 and 83.

First runner-up honors went to Ben Dapat and Prisco Ponce with 155 (75-80) followed by Benito Gaisano and Baldomero Estenzo with 154  (76-78) and Masatsugu Ochiai and Clifford Celdran with 152 (75-77).  Ochiai and Celdran won the third runner-up plum after edging the team of Ang  Chiong and Nido Lao in the countback.

The top performing seniors’ team in the first round was the duo of brothers Francis and Manuel Zosa, Jr. with 82 points.  The best score  for the second round was logged by the duo of former University of San  Carlos basketball teammates Vince Colina and Bobby Barria with 78 edging  Manger Calderon and Edward Avila.

Special Prizes

Joseph Stevens won a prize for scoring the only eagle of the  tournament.

The most birdies plum was shared by partners Eric Deen and Nilo Seno  with six apiece.

The most pars prize was also shared by Montito Garcia and Jufil Sato with 28 each.

The tandem of Wellington Lim and retired Commodore Danny Pizarro once

again took the best in uniform award for having identical outfits from head to toe.