BAGUIO CITY, Philippines (12 Dec) – Heavy late-afternoon rains disrupted play for Eastridge–Primehomes 1 and 2 and other championship flights Friday in the 75th Januarius Fil-Am Invitational Golf Tournament, forcing tournament officials to suspend action as downpour pelted both courses.
Eastridge 1 nearly saw its anchor man Edison Tabalin unable to complete his round after rain halted play at Hole No. 9. Tabalin eventually resumed and finished with a two-over 34 to lead the squad. Bobe Salahog added 28, while Ronel Taga-an and Miko Granada each carded 27 for a 116 total, giving the team a three-day aggregate of 340.
The move to the shorter but trickier Baguio Country Club layout proved a reality check for Eastridge after a strong showing at the longer John Hay course, where Taga-an, Granada and Salahog erupted for 40, 39, and 37 points, respectively.
Play was finally halted at 4:15 PM, when rains grew too heavy to continue.
Before the stoppage, three Januarius players managed to hole out. Terence Macatangay posted 31, while Jet Mathay added 29 for an 89 total and a 359 aggregate, slicing the leader’s advantage to 15.
IMG/SPES stayed within striking distance as Coby Rolida fired 29 to help the squad turn in the flight-best 117 for a 387 total—21 points off the lead with one round left.
Batangas Barakos had Charles Serdena and Henry Bolaño submit 28 and 25, respectively. Sean Granada and Eric Escalona shot matching 28s for a 109 and 365 total to retain third place, eight behind IMG/SPES.
Fil and Am B
Team Master continued its dominant march in Fil-B, while Alpha Phi Omega–Omega pulled off a surprise finish to snatch the Am-B title.
Roy Abalos closed with 27 to lead Team Master to 94 and a 432 total, securing a commanding 32-point victory.
Rolando delos Santos (24), Victor Antigua (23), and Rolly Duran (20) completed the team’s four-day run of flight-best scores.
Team Master opened with 119, followed by 120, then 99 to build an insurmountable advantage entering the final day.
Srixon IMG turned in the second-best final-round score of 93, thanks to Yancy Siladan’s flight-best 31, to finish with 400. Moto placed third with 387 after an 84.
Alpha Phi Omega GC – Omega closed with 88 for 344, edging three-day leader Eddmari/MCG, which faltered with an 81 for 341.
Master Golfers salvaged third place by carding a flight-best 103 for a 337 total—nosing out Chelus 2 by a single point.
Fil F and Am F
Michael Atolba’s 24-point performance powered Baguio City to a 294 total and a 28-point triumph in Fil F.
Joel Angday scored 19, while Ramon Balay-odao and Vincent Balaodan chipped in 14 each.
Two-day leader Jaco Farm faded at the demanding BCC course, turning in only 53 for a 266 total.
Former Baguio police chief Manny Obrera shot 20 to pace the team, barely holding off City of Pines, which ended at 263 after Brenner Bengwayan led with a 64-point effort.
In Am F, Fil-Golfers Honolulu 2 capped its wire-to-wire dominance with 72 for a 265 aggregate, winning by 26 points.
Lito Fuentes top-scored with 26, followed by Jhun Liwanag and Francis Calanio with 16 each, and Ferdie delos Santos with 14.
Surigao Kyro 2 held on despite a 66 for a 239 total, edging Silicon Valley Golfers Link 2, which closed with 74 for 238. — Fil-Am Media Center
