Bayron gains national finals in Samsung Tour

After so many close misses, Jay Bayron finally secured a berth in the national finals of the Samsung Amateur Tour after the former national player posted a three-stroke win in the championship division during the recent eighth and last stop at the Tagaytay Midlands Golf Club course.

Bayron posted rounds of 74-76 for a 36-hole aggregate of 150, finishing ahead of national training pool members Marvin Dumandan (79-74) and Jun Bernis (79-74) and Riviera bet Raymund Sangil (77-76) who all wound up at 153.

Fast-rising jungolfer Remijin Camping birdied the last hole for a 76-151 and a two-shot win over Korean Cho In Hye (75-153) in ladies Class A.

Mario Parinias, Tonton San Diego, Alfred Abarintos and Beth Menchavez also pulled off contrasting wins in the other divisions to join Bayron and Camping in the final batch of qualifiers for the grand finals March 11-12 at the Mt. Malarayat Golf Club in Batangas.

A major sports undertaking of Samsung, the tourney is co-sponsored by Mario’s Restaurant, Wilson, Gatorade, Tokyo Tokyo, Microtel, Custom Clubmakers, Rogin-E and Dunlop Golf with radio stations Killer Bee, Citylite 88.3, Wave 89.1, Magic 89.9, 99.5 RT and 103.5 K-Lite as official media partners.

Parinias birdied two of the last three holes for an 82-161 that gave him a two-shot win over Mike Carr in men’s Class A San Diego tallied an 87-170 for a five-shot victory in Class B while Alfred Abarintos had a 92-178 to beat Ranel Solis by two for the Class C plum.

Menchavez (87-170) pounced on Finina Gorres’ struggling back nine stint to take the ladies Class B plum. Gorres wound up at 176 after a 90.

The top three finishers were awarded trophies and appliances. But more importantly for the division champion, they gained passage into the finals where bigger prizes are at stake.

Camping likewise grabbed a spot in the grand finals of the Samsung Putting Challenge after she ruled the junior division with 15 putts. For her feat, she won another microwave oven that went with a television set as stroke play winner.

The other qualifiers were Oliver Gan and Rey Manulat in the men’s division, Geraldine Velasquez in the ladies class and Sergio Lim in seniors play.

Next in line is the Samsung Interscholastics February 3-5 at the Legends course of the Manila Southwoods.