Roberto romps to easy 11-shot Southern win

BACOLOD — Lora Roberto scored an expected romp in the 41st Southern Ladies Open Golf Championships, dominating the field with a closing 57 point-output for a whopping 11-point victory over Southwoods teammate Tracy Locsin at the Bacolod Golf and Country Club at Hacienda Binitin in Murcia here yesterday.

Roberto holed out with a bogey on the par-70 layout but that was the only black mark in her otherwise impressive card that included four birdies as the top Southwoods’ bet fired a three-under round under medal play and wound up with a 54-hole haul of 166 to claim the overall crown. She had earlier rounds of 55 and 54.

"Medyo nakabawi din dun sa mga masasakit na collapses ko," said Roberto, referring to her late-round foldups in past campaigns, including the recent RP Ladies Open where she led by five strokes heading into the final round and wound up third.

It was Roberto’s first victory after winning the Luzvimin Cup two years and she hopes to flash the same superb form when she leads a crack RP team, which includes Lucy Landicho and former ace jungolfer Jayvie Agojo, in the Queen Sirikit Cup in China next month.

Locsin scored 54 points then beat Valley’s Aileen Rose Yao in sudden death to claim the title in the championship division of the event conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines. Yao made 52 points and wound up tied with Locsin with 155 aggregate.

Former RP Ladies Open champion Carmellete Villaroman limped with a 49 for a 149 and finished third in the annual event sponsored by DHL Worldwide Express, WWW Express, Petron Corp. Philippine Sports Commission, Gopez Corp., Sugarland Hotel, Directories Philippines Corp., Hans Brumann Jeweller, Casino Filipino Hotel, Mitsubishi Motors, Vice Admiral Luisito Fernandez, BREDCO, Nestle Waters Phils. Inc. and Mizuno.

Roberto, 24, also powered Southwoods to victory in team competitions with the squad, which included Locsin, Villaroman and Mia Piccio, pooling 244 total to beat Alabang’s 234. Wack Wack finished third with 226.

Bacolod’s Shella Mari Dollosa rallied with a 49 to rule Class A with 130, seven points ahead of Hilda Badong of Riviera (42-123), who defeated two-day leader Mencie Millonado (41-123) of Wack Wack in the countback.

Wack Wack’s Eloisa Campos also scored a runaway victory in Class B with a 109 after a 38, beating Pamplona’s Cynthia Mendieta (38-103) and teammate Rosario Dimson (36-101) for the crown.

Grace Bañas of Bacolod reigned supreme in Class C with a 101 after a 35 while Alabang’s Alice Andrada placed second with 98 after a 29 and PDO’s Judith Orimaco finished third with a 30 for a 96.

Alabang’s Tina Javella copped the Class D crown with a 100 after a 32, nipping Pueblo’s Ana Roa, who had a 36 and a 99. Justin Braga of Victorias had a 38 and a 96 for third.

Meanwhile, Tina Javellana of Alabang ruled the seniors category with an 84 after a 40 for a three-point victory over Wack Wack’s Mencie Millonado, who had a 39-81.