Cebu players dominate Southern Junior golfest

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu-based players took all but one of the titles at stake in the 8th Southern Junior Classic, which ended yesterday at the Cebu Country Club.

Alta Vista bets took home five of the titles, Mactan had three and host CCC won two. A player from Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club took the special division title for players, who are already past the jungolf age of 18, but not more than 23 years old.

David Park of Alta Vista had a very strong second-day performance shooting one-under-par 71 strokes for a two-day total of 149 and a come-from-behind victory in class A (15-17 years old).

Second place went to Vijay Vasandani of Mactan Island Golf Club with rounds of 77 and 77 for a total of 154. Lloyd Jefferson Go of host CCC struggled in the back nine and fired 81 strokes yesterday after a 78 the other day for a total of 159 strokes, which was good for third place.

Irina Gabasa made it a double for Alta Vista in class A as she ran away with the girls’ title shooting 145 on rounds of 72 and 73. Runner-up honors went to Mactan’s Juily Vasanadani with 162 (82-80).

The class B (13-14 years old) title went to Gen Nagai of CCC with a total of 154 strokes on rounds of 78 and 76. First runner-up honors went to Ram-ram Roque of Del Monte with 164 (81-83) followed by Iloilo’s Jason Zaragosa with 170 (84-86).

The girls’ crown for this age group went to Mactan’s Rachita Vasandani with 165 (80-85) followed by Alta Vista’s Ericka Lim with 166 (81-85).

Alta Vista’s Wei-Wei Gao ruled class C (11-12 years old) with an aggregate of 168 on rounds of 87 and 81. First runner-up honors went to Andrei Sajulga of Del Monte with 179 (87-92) while third placer was Jason Villarosa of NOGCC with 193 (98-95).

Lois Kaye Go of CCC won the title for the girls’ division with 167 (87-80) while Rainstar Roque of Del Monte took the runner-up honors with 178 (88-90).

Mactan’s Shailesh Vasandani topped class D (9-10 years old) for boys with an aggregate of 152 strokes on rounds of 77 and 75. First runner-up was Wei Yu Gao of Alta Vista with 167 (85-82) while second runner-up was Gilbert Purcia of Mactan with 188 (99-89).

Angela Pearl Mangana made it a double for Mactan in this category as she bagged the girls’ title with a total of 187 on rounds of 96 and 91 beating Alta Vista’s Junia Gabasa in the sudden death playoffs. Gabasa, who took the runner-up honors, fired rounds of 99 and 88.

Kevin Park of Alta Vista ruled class E (8 years old and under) shooting a total of 82 strokes on nines of 41 and 41. For this youngest age class, players only played nine holes per day.

First runner-up honors went to Franco Rafael Rivera of Iloilo with 94 (43-51) while second runner-up was Jag Verches of CCC with 102 (53-49).

The girls’ title went to Alta Vista’s Wei Fang Gao with 103 on nines of 48 and 55.

Chepe Dulay broke the stranglehold of Cebu players on the titles at stake as he topped the special division. Dulay of NOGCC scored rounds of 75 and 71 for an aggregate of 146.

First runner-up honors went to CCC’s Kathleen Uy with 156 (77-79) while second runner-up was Jan-jan Ybañez also of CCC with 157 (74-83).

The tournament was supported by Red Golf.