Highlands tops WGAP Cup, completes sweep

MANILA, Philippines - Tagaytay Highlands made history by winning the WGAP Cup recently, becoming the first team in 12 years to sweep the eight-leg WGAP circuit and the tournament of champions in one season.

The Highlanders pulled off a decisive win behind their Class A and C players in the Greensome format in the last of the three-stage WGAP Cup at Sherwood Hills, scoring 3.5 points and finishing with a nine-point total to beat the Villamor ladies by two in the annual event organized by Women’s Golf Association of the Philippines.

It was actually Tagaytay Highlands’ second straight WGAP Cup win after it came from behind to clinch the crown last year. But this marks the first time that a team had won both the WGAP circuit and the WGAP Cup since the latter, which gathers the top five teams after the WGAP Circuit, was staged in 2000.

“It was a total team effort. We are proud of this team and these victories will surely put us in good stead in next year’s Federation Games,” said overall WGAP team skipper Mely Leyeza.

The Highlanders braced for a tough finish at Sherwood after posting just half-a-point lead over Alabang and Villamor after the best-ball format among B and C players at Splendido and the Greensome format among A and C players at Summit Point.

But they scored three wins and a draw at Sherwood with Hedy See-Marissa Vergara, Sandy Prieto-Romualdez-Connie Mamaril, and Rosalie Heo-Jessalyn Tan providing the victories and Bern Wong-Erlie Gamut the lone all-square game.

Villamor made two points at Sherwood to finish second with seven points while Alabang was shut out in the Greensome and wound up with five points for third.

Sta. Elena rallied with three points at Sherwood to tie Forest Hills at 4.5 points.

Tagaytay set its sweep bid in motion with a 3-1 (win-loss) card at Splendido as Grace Jung-Erlie Gamut, Totelle Dimson-Marissa Vergara and Becky Albert-Jessalynn Tan won their best-ball matches and Diane Lee-Faye Celones lost theirs.