MANILA, Philippines - Tagaytay Highlands and Manila Southwoods forged a championship duel after defeating their respective semifinal rivals in the 2012 Ladies Federation League recently.
Highlands swept Valley at home and clinched the lone point needed in the away format the next day to advance to the finals while Southwoods shocked fancied defending champion Alabang in their own home-and-away semis duel that went to a sudden-death playoff.
Facing a 1-3 deficit going to their home game, world jungolf champ Miya Legaspi sparked a 3-1 counterattack by Southwoods to force the extension. Nini Samaniego and Claire Ong then turned back the Alabang pair of Joan Morales and Ui Mendoza on the second playoff hole.
It was a heartbreaking end to Alabang’s bid for a third straight championship and was primed to face Highlands after a solid run in the elims. Morales and Mendoza won both of their best-ball matches in regulation play only to drop the most important match for the defending champions.
Legaspi teamed up with Lita Jumalon for a 7&6 win in high-low, Sandy Velhagen/Christine Naidoo took a 3-2 decision in greensomes while Ong and Samaniego made shortwork of their aggregate rivals (7&6) for the 3-1 win that turned the match around for Southwoods.
Highlands’ 4-0 demolition of Valley proved too hard to match for Valley. Sandy Romualdez-Dianne Lee (greensomes), Ronnie Wuson-Riva Galvez Tan (high-low), Farah Imperial-Olive Yoon (4&2) and Gie Bote-Nini Eustaquio (aggregate) abbreviated their matches inside 16 holes.
The finals is set this Thursday and Friday.