La Salle completes 3-peat in intercollegiate championship

MANILA, Philippines - De La Salle University survived the gritty stand of Lyceum of the Philippines in a grueling playoff in a repeat of the finals last year to complete its three-peat bid in the sixth Intercollegiate Championship at the Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club’s Faldo course in Dasmariñas, Cavite recently.

DLSU’s Eric Gallardo and Sunshine Baraquiel each made a par on the playoff hole. Lyceum’s Lawrence Celestino also made a par but teammate Wolen Superal flubbed a four-foot putt for par to give the Green Archers their fifth title in six years.

“It was the toughest finals that DLSU had been through. We’re extremely happy with this one because this was the first time that a playoff was ever held in the annual event organized by tournament director Arsenic Laurel,” said DLSU team captain Marvin Mendoza.

“Lyceum put up a good fight. We were the better though,” said Mendoza, who thanked team manager Ferdie Atendido, coaches Jun Cedo, Fred Casiao, Eric Remata and Reb Bareng and sponsors TMS Shipping, Terry Capistrano, and Aacedo Golf Inc, Sherwood Hills and Mr. Campos for their support.

Mendoza also said DLSU dominated the 2013 season as it topped the elimination and semifinal phases with a total of 17 wins, one draw and two losses. “Not one team ever came close to our standing. All our hard work in practices and during play paid off,” he said.

The first round of the finals happened at Sherwood Hills’ tough Nicklaus layout with Gino Bunyi and Baraquiel teaming up well in the best ball format to defeat the tandem of Superal and Sean Lee, 3 and 2. Lyceum’s Celestino and Carlos Tinio came back strong in the high-low event and won 1-up over Mendoza and Gallardo.

At the Eagle Ridge’s Faldo, Bunyi and Baraquiel once again prevailed, 1-up, against the duo of Tinio and Lee. However, Celestino and Superal answered back in the high-low match to force the sudden death.