Jufil Sato, Juan Karloz Alba pull off big upsets

MANILA, Philippines — Jufil Sato and Juan Karloz Alba bundled out second seed Peter Tyler Po and No. 3 Paolo Wong, respectively, to barge into the quarterfinal round of the third MVPSF Visayas Regional Match Play Championship at the Cebu Country Club yesterday.

Sato, who finished at No. 15 after the 36-hole stroke play elims, slugged it out with Po from the start then parred the first extra hole to clinch a 1-up victory and arrange a quarters duel with No. 10 Martin Mendoza.

The 19th-ranked Alba shocked Wong, 2-up, for a clash with No. 11 Joaquin Velez, who also upended sixth seed Jovi Neri, 2&1.

Mendoza also clipped seventh seed Harvey Sytiongas, 6&4, as reversals marred the matches in the lower half of the 32-player draw of the annual event sponsored by MVP Sports Foundation and held as part of the PLDT Group National Amateur Golf Tour.

Earlier, Sato also snatched a 1-up victory over Marco Mendoza in the first round of the knockout phase of the tournament organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.

Top seed Lloyd Jefferson Go came out of the first round bye in fierce form, easing out Delfin Trinos, 5&4, for a face-off with Mark Dy, who nipped Pierre Ticzon, 2&1, while No. 4 Carl Corpus routed Alrey Ceniza, 7&6, to seal a Last 8 clash with fifth-ranked Rolando Pila, who dominated Bernard Trinos, 6&5.

In women’s play, No. 8 Jhanna Abella turned back Wilma Fantonial, 3&2, to advance to the quarters against top seed Nicole Fleetwood, who drew a bye.