Sato-Badenas only team under par in Bangkok leg

BANGKOK -- Jufil Sato and Norberto Badenas proved that they can handle the long course when they scored a two-under-par 70 in the first round of the Sta. Lucia Golf Tour’s international leg.

Sato and Badenas, in the tournament representing the short, nine-hole Royale Tagaytay, were the only ones to break par under the best-ball format at the challenging Lam Luk Ka Country Club course here.

Sato and Badenas posted nines of 36-34 to lead Alta Vista’s Dennis Canoy and Masahisa Kawakami by three and the other Alta Vista pair of Marlo Cugtas and Hospicio Razon by five.

All eyes will be on the Royale Tagaytay pair heading into the final round at the Vintage Country Club in the tournament organized by real estate giant Sta. Lucia Realty for members of clubs carrying its banner.

Lee Tong-hwa and Lee Chung-hyo of Eagle Ridge paced Group 2 with a 75 at the Roger Packard-designed layout, Wilfrido Valencia and Wilfredo Dulay of Beverly Place led Group 3 with a 79 and Arturo Santos-Ricardo Odulio of Orchard showed the way in Division 4 but will be hard pressed to stay on top with so many teams in hot pursuit.

The Lees were four shots ahead of another all-Korean pair from Eagle Ridge, Kim Young-kwon and Lee Kin-yong, and Orchard bets Wilfred Pacpaco and Rudy Gamut who fired similar 79s.

Valencia and Dulay were two up on the Eagle Ridge tandem of Munding del Rosario and Marthy Fernando with Summit Point’s Masaru Matsuo-Anthony Arevalo four shots back at 83 and Santos-Odulio will carry a four-shot lead over Mayolito Pillerin-Fernando Ugdoracion of Rancho Palos Verdes and Pete del Rosario-Rene Piano of Alta Vista who carded 85s.

“It’s still an exciting race in all divisions. No team has the advantage of knowing the golf courses well and even teams that are four or five shots behind can still turn things around,” said Teng Santos, chair of the Tour’s executive committee who is joined in the trip by Sta. Lucia Realty executives Mike and Jason Robles as well as golf club managers and golf directors.

The stars in Division 1 of the two previous legs at Summit Point and Lakewood didn’t do too well and need big rally on the final day.

Mike Mangio and Mike Sanggaran, the overall champs from Beverly Place at the Lakewood course in Cabanatuan which hosted the second leg, was doing alright at the turn with a 37 but struggled with a 40 coming home for a 77 that put them seven behind.

Lino Magpantay, wi nner at his Summit Point home course, and his partner Masaru Matsuo could only tally nines of 40-40 and will also need a big comeback to salvage the winner’s trophy.