BACOLOD—Gary Sales has had his share of Philippine Airlines (PAL) Interclub heartache that he knows exactly what he and Eastridge-Primehomes are facing—and what they need to do—in the final round of the Men’s Championship division here on Friday.
Holding a 14-point lead over powerhouse Manila Southwoods after tallying a third-round 105 points at Binitin on Thursday, Sales and the Binangonan-based squad are again on the cusp of a breakthrough centerpiece division title.
And in their third straight year of getting close to victory, they look to finally take care of the same pain-dealing foe.
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“It’s like in basketball, when you’re playing Ginebra with the never-say-die spirit,” Sales, the Eastridge team leader, told the Inquirer in Filipino. “We have the lead, yes, but we know that if we get confident, Southwoods will pounce on us again.
“We remember what happened last year,” he went on, referring to a six-point lead that they lost in the final round to finish second for the second straight year. “We need to perform.”
Chris Remata fired a three-under-par 67 worth 39 points, getting support from Rolando Bregente Jr., who fired 34. Either 32s of Vito Sarines and Alex Bisera counted for Eastridge.
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The final 18 holes will be played at Marapara.
“Captain Thirdy (Escaño of Southwoods) is a veteran in these situations,” Sales went on. “He knows what he is doing and he has a rock-solid lineup coming out (for the final round).
“That’s why we know the job is far from done, not until the last putt drops.”
Southwoods played its best round of the week, firing 108 points behind Shin Suzuki’s 38 points. Patrick Tambalque matched par for 36 and Emil Hernandez accounted for 34 to somehow give the Carmona-based squad the momentum it needs for a final round push.
Escaño has never given up a fight in his career both as a player and skipper of Southwoods. But he knows that odds they are facing this time, and that is overhauling the biggest final round deficit this team has faced in its dominance of the past decade or so.
“It would be very difficult, but definitely not impossible,” Escaño said, the team’s hopes pinned on reigning national champion Zeus Sara, Perry Bucay, Santino Laurel and Miko Granada.
“They still have a very formidable team to field,” Sales went on as he anchors his final round squad that will include Edison Tabalin, Ronel Taga-an and pro-bound Jeff Lumbo.
Tagaytay Highlands-Team IMG, which started the round in second behind Eastridge, struggled big time and produced only 88 points to fall 15 off Southwoods and 29 behind the leader.
Meanwhile, Canlubang churned out 99 points at Marapara to open up a 16-point lead over Cebu Country Club and Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club-Team 1 in the Founders Division race with a 284 aggregate going into the final round as well.
John Bernis, the son of 1990s Cangolf ace Jun, produced the best round of the week, a 40, to tow the Sugar Barons to the verge of another title. Fernando Zaldarriaga added 30 and Carlo Quimson 29 for Cangolf.
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NOGCC claimed a piece of second after shooting 88 points built around the 34 of Chepe Dulay, while Cebu CC played its worst round of the week by shooting just 79 points led by the 30 of the seasoned Bayani Garcia.
