San Miguel thwarts Megafiber

Fil-Am Seniors champ snares one-point win

BAGUIO, Philippines – San Miguel-Northern Cement 1 closed out with a 114 and held off a hot-charging Megafiber to eke out a one-point victory and retain the Seniors Fil-Championship crown in the Fil-Am Invitational golf tournament presented by San Miguel at the Baguio Country Club here yesterday.

Bracing for a Manila Southwoods final round charge, San Miguel instead needed to thwart Megafiber, which sizzled with a 123 highlighted by an eagle and an ace.

But the defending champions had built enough cushion after three days – 10 points – and wound up with a 487 to frustrate Megafiber, which gained nine points from its big 123 windup for a 486.

Southwoods faded in the face of Megafiber’s scorching finish, scoring just 104 to drop to third with a 472 while former champion Pugo Adventure ended up fourth with a 469 after a 115.

Bong Sison shot 31 points while skipper and former pro Eddie Bagtas and Benjie Sumulong backed him up with a pair of 28 points and Chito Laureta added a 27 for San Miguel’s 114.

But it was Megafiber, which stole the final round show.

“Give it to them (Megafiber), they really had a superb game and we just escaped by the skin of our teeth,” said San Miguel team manager Bobby Iñigo.

“It was a hard-earned victory,” added Iñigo, whose Am Championship team, however, ended up fourth over at the Camp John Hay course where it lost by a point in a battle for third with Manila Southwoods.

Rene Unson stood at the forefront of Megafiber’s final round attack, matching par 61, including an eagle, worth 36 points. Mari Hechanova put in a 34, spiked by a hole-in-one on No. 9.

“They did shoot in the 30s and those were very exceptional,” said Iñigo.

Rolly Viray and Ben Jacinto added 28 and 25, respectively, for Megafiber, which started the final round 10 points behind and in third place behind San Miguel and Southwoods.

Over at John Hay, Dugong Bughaw pooled a 110 for a 431 as it ran away with Am Championship crown by 10 points over Nueva Ecija Seniors. 

Marlon Soriano paced Dugong Bughaw with 30 points while Edgar Lee and Wilfredo Princesa added 27 points apiece and Ed Rendon chipped in 26 points.

Nueva Ecija Seniors drew 31 points from Ed Manzanares while Masakazu Saso, Jimmy Dy and Butch Bakunawa scored 30, 29 and 27 points, respectively, for Nueva Ecija Seniors’ 117 and a 421.

Southwoods salvaged third place with a 110 and a 411 after nipping San Miguel-Northern Cement 2, which tallied a 410 after a 108.

In other results, San Miguel’s Am-A team took the crown via rout. Efren Alvez scored 30 points, Herminio Salivio had a 29, Ariel Javelosa chipped in 27 points and Ret. Gen. Reynaldo Velasco shot 21 points as the team assembled a 398 for a whopping 56-point romp over Teerrifics, which ended up with a 342 after an 89.

Pines Golf of California also made a 342 after a 92.

Camp Aguinaldo pooled an 86 for a 394 as it posted a six-point victory over Navy, which had a 388 after a 90, in Seniors Fil-A.

Camp John Hay closed out with a 79 and a 370 for third.