North outduels South in singles

MANILA, Philippines - Team North overhauled a four-point deficit in team play as it dominated the fancied South team abandoned by its top player in singles, winning seven while halving three matches for a whopping 8 1/2 output as it snatched The Duel crown, 14 1/2-13 1/2, at the Alabang Country Club yesterday.

Randy Garalde, in third-to-the-last flight, set up a solid approach shot on the 18th and banged in a five-foot birdie to stun Ferdie Aunzo, 1-up, and deliver the marginal point for the North, which kept The Duel tied at 13 1/2 after James Ryan Lam rolled in a clutch 20-foot birdie putt on the final hole to force an all-square match with Charles Hong.

“There was no strategy in the final day. I just told my players to enjoy the round to ease off the pressure,” said North team captain Angelo Que. “I’m happy everyone delivered today.”

The victory thus avenged North’s 12-16 loss to South in last year’s inaugural of the event sponsored by ICTSI where the Southerners also rallied in the singles after trailing the team competitions and beat their regional counterparts.

As leader of the North team, which trailed South, 6-10, after two days and four Fourball and Foursomes matches, Que delivered the first point, edging reigning ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit frontrunner Tony Lascunã, 2&1, in the first singles match, then Benjie Magada and Mars Pucay followed suit with a pair of convincing 4&3 routs of Clyde Mondilla and Elmer Saban.

As Joenard Rates of North and South’s Jhonnel Ababa fought through the final hole and halved their match, Carl Santos-Ocampo sustained North’s charge with a 5&4 demolition of Marvin Dumandan, forcing a tie at 10 1/2.

Michael Bibat also dominated Mhark Fernando, 3&2, to give the lead to North as Gerald Rosales and Zanie Boy Gialon halved their match but South’s Rufino Bayron clipped Chris delos Santos, 2&1, to tie the showdown again.

Jay Bayron gave the lead back to South with a 6&5 victory over Edward Reyes in second-to-last flight but North’s Miguel Tabuena blasted Richard Sinfuego, a last-minute replacement to Juvic Pagunsan, 5&3, to draw level again, sending the series to the last two pairs – Lam vs Hong and Garalde vs Aunzo.

Pagunsan showed up at the club but told South skipper Jerome Delariarte “he was not feeling well” and asked to be replaced.

The North squad approved of the substitution.

“They got the breaks they needed in the last two matches (Lam and Garalde),” said Delariarte. “We put up a very good fight. We will do our best next year to beat them.”
Truly, the North simply proved to be the better team this year with two unheralded players stepping up big in the clutch.

Lam, who had one win, a loss and a draw in team play, held his ground against Hong, last year’s winning skipper, keeping The Duel tied with his long birdie putt on the 18th while Garalde humbled the fancied Aunzo with his fiery finish.

Other backers of the event, organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., were KIA, Ping, Nike Golf, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, Pacsports, Callaway, Cleveland, FootJoy, Srixon, Titleist, Empire Golf and Sports Shop and Sharp.