Canlubang pulled off a victory and two podium finishes as it dominated the 2019 Champion WGAP Circuit at home recently and gained a share of the overall lead with Tagaytay Highlands after two legs of the course-hopping tour.
Rosabel del Leon fired 40 Stableford points while Colo Ventosa sizzled with 39 points and Lea Suarez and Charo Buencamino each scored 38 points as the Cangolf ladies pooled a 155 and edged the Fernando Air Base side by two in Class B.
The hosts also placed second to surprise Class C winner Wack Wack and settled for third in Class A behind Alabang and Sta. Elena as they racked up a total of six points to join the Highlanders on top in the early going of the eight-stage circuit organized and conducted by Women’s Golf Association of the Philippines.
Alabang drew 43 points from Marilyn Reyes while Rita Horan, Jocelyn Garcia and Lanfen Hsieh backed her up with 40, 37 and 36 points, respectively, as it assembled a 156 and posted a huge seven-point victory over Sta. Elena in the centerpiece Class A division.
The STE ladies, led by Therese Dabao’s 40 points, Carina Ricamonte’s 37 and Carmela Lee and Wilhermina Attwood’s identical 36 points, came up with a 149 while Cangolf got a pair of 38s from Recy Barrientos and Flor Silao and a couple of 36 points from Luisa Lorenzo and Ikuko Kito for a 138.
Reigning Asian Games golf medalist Yuka Saso, a member of the host squad, also graced the event and finished with 33 points as she primed up for the US Women’s Open beginning Thursday in South Carolina.
After scoring two victories at Villamor, Tagaytay went scoreless, placing fourth in Class A with a 144 led by individual champion Marianne Bustos’ 41 points while Fernando Air Base came in fifth with 139 followed by Forest Hills (138), Manila Southwoods (130), Camp Aguinaldo (129) and Villamor (124).
Behind Kathy Uy’s 44 points, FAB scored 153 to place second to Cangolf in Class B with Wack Wack, behind individual titlist Monique Arroyo’s 43 points, finished third with 152 followed by Tagaytay (147), Sta. Elena (144), Alabang (141), Orchard (138) and Villamor, Forest Hills and Camp Aguinaldo, which turned in similar 135s in the event sponsored by Champion.
Wack Wack, on the other hand, came away with a big victory in Class C as Tiffany Copok shot 49 points and drew 39, 37 and 35 points from Celine Abalos, Claudette Santiago and Miya Tanco, respectively, for a 160 for a four-point romp over Cangolf, which drew 44 points from Patricia Kohchet-Chua, and 41, 37 and 34 points from Bernadette Enriquez, Theresa Enriquez and Rosita Laurel, respectively.
Villamor, with Grace Bañas, Angela Castro and Angeline Baylon putting in identical 39 points and Angelita Navalta adding 36 points, finished with 153 and nipped Aguinaldo, led by individual winner Marie Anne Ortinez’s 49 points, in the countback for third place. Alabang came in fifth with 146 followed by Forest Hills (142), Sta. Elena (138), FAB (137), Tagaytay (136) and Orchard (131).
With six points apiece, Cangolf and Tagaytay lead Villamor by one heading to the circuit’s third leg at Tagaytay Midlands and Lucky 9 courses on June 17.