Bagtas-Kim rallies to win Valley Pro-Am

ANTIPOLO , Philippines  – Eddie Bagtas-Richard Kim rallied with a combined 149 in aggregate play Tuesday to top the initial PGAP I-Fit Pro-Am championship by four strokes at Valley’s challenging South layout here.

The senior pro star shot a three-over-par 75 and got a huge lift from his amateur partner Kim, his student and member of Valley who smoked the backside with a 34 built around three birdies for a 74 as the team tallied 226.

Counting the 79 they scored in alternate shot on Monday, Bagtas-Kim won P75,000 out of the total of P400,000 put up by the organizing PGAP and its president, Jun Bustamante after they nosed out opening day leader and final round favorite Edgar Ababa-Paul Echavez.

Ababa-Echavez churned out a 154, as both lost steam in the closing nine with efforts of 39 and 40, respectively. Ababa, a pro ace in the 1980s, submitted a 78, while Echavez, a member of the powerhouse Canlubang team in the Interclub, had a 76.

Second place was still worth P40,000, with the amateurs entitled to 30-percent of the purse.

Bagtas had just two birdies against six bogeys in his round from the gold tees of the rolling layout in the heart of Antipolo, while Kim, teeing off from the blue tees, had four bogeys in his opening nine before bouncing back with three birdies against a bogey coming home.

Juanito Pagunsan and Ricky delos Santos checked in third after identical 78s for 156 and a 233 tally, which was matched by the Erwin Vinluan-Eric Gallardo combine. Both teams split P55,000.

Finishing fifth was Ernie Rellon-Jan Tambogon with a 234 tally, with Danny Fortusa-Kenneth Kano winding up with a 237.