Nike edges closer to 2nd Fil crown

BAGUIO — Jun Bernis fired a 65 while Jay Bayron carded a 67 for 40 and 38 points, respectively, as Nike scored a 148 and zeroed in on its second straight crown in the Fil Division of the 56th Fil-Am Invitational golf tournament at the Camp John Hay here yesterday.

Abe Rosal contributed 36 and Mario Labajo added 34 for Nike, which assembled a 54-hole aggregate of 415, counting the 267 it made at the nearby Baguio Country Club, heading into the final round of the annual event sponsored by Smart, Wilson Sports, Eva Air and Club Car.

Juvic Pagunsan, the SEA Games gold medalist, didn’t count with a 32.

Nike thus stood 15 points ahead of Manila Southwoods-Rudy Project, which hardly cut the defending champion’s overnight lead of 19, as it pooled 152 for a 400. Antonio Asistio and Anthony Fernando both shot four-under 65s for 40 points while Gene Bondoc and Erwin Vinluan had 37 and 35 points, respectively, for Southwoods.

But while Nike is on its way for a back-to-back romp, its team in the Am Division groped for 118 for a 404, just four points up on Southwoods, which came through with a 120 on Michael Alejandro’s 32, the 31 of Rogelio "Jong" Laput, Hanson So Jr.’s 29 and the 28 of Michael Bibat.

Romeo Jaraula, however, proved the hottest player in the day as he scored 44 points or eight-under 61 on a bogey-less round spiked by eight birdies. Counting the 44 of Jaraula, Del Monte tallied 146 points for its 384 total, 31 off the pace. Mizuno DHL carded 140 points and a three-day total of 371.

The battle for the Fil Division Flight A crown is also expected to go down to the wire after Camp John Hay combined for 119 and 319 and Forest Hills totaled 120 to trail by only two.

That’s the same situation in the Am Division Flight A.

Forest Hills struggled with 87 at the Baguio Country Club for 288. Camp Aguinaldo made 94 to just a point down with 287. Eastridge Golf Club matched Forest Hills 87 to be with 28l.

Camp John Hay shot an 80 to place fourth with 279, followed by Team Baguio I 77-250, Sherwood Hills 75-249 and Neoart 79-243.