DESPITE a sweep for Manila Southwoods in the premier flights, Team Surigao of Surigao Rep. and former Gov. Robert Ace Barbers proved to be the most dominant after winning four trophies in 12 flights, including two titles of the regular 68th Department of Tourism Fil-Am Invitational Golf Tournament that concluded Saturday.
That is beside the three individual crowns in three groups for Barbers’ men.
After leading Team Surigao I to third place in a highly competitive Fil A, Barbers’ Surigao I took the championship trophy in Am D, while the Surigao Omni Pharma led a 1-2 finish in Fil E, with Surigao II as the runner-up.
Fil A was won by Batangas Barakos in dominant fashion after firing 134 and 136 points at Camp John Hay during the first two days for a total of 465 and a 19-point win over San Miguel Corporation. SMC has a closing round of 109 and 446 total to overtake Surigao I, which had a fourth day sum of 103 and 443 total.
Surigao Omni Pharma, meanwhile, started with a two-point lead over Surigao II, then slowly increased this for the winning margin of 26 over the latter. Surigao II, on the other hand, gave up the second spot to eventual third place Eaglemasters, drew even on the penultimate round then, outshot the Davao group, 75-66, in the last round for the nine-point difference.
It was a totally dominant Surigao team in Am D, starting with a 14-point lead on eventual second placers Cool Jocks. They increased it to 21 on Day 2, further improved it to 36 on the third, before settling to a 37-point shot win. Uragun Golf was another 33 points down.
With its second-place finish in the Fil Championship, Forest Hills also took third place in the Am Championship, finishing behind Southwoods and Razons of Guagua.
Royal Northwoods finished second in Am A to add up to its third-place effort in the Fil Championship.
Co-host Camp John Hay has a 1-2 finish to count among the multi-winners in the annual competition, which gave away a Toyota Altis in the first week of competition to retired police general Elmer Soria.
CJH scored a closing round 97 for 408 points for a two-shot victory on three-day leader Greenwater Golfers in Fil B. Co-host Baguio Country Club finished third after an 88 and 395 total.
Aside from its third-place finish in Am D, Uragun also took second place in Am E.
San Miguel also took a second place finish in Am B finishing 18 points behind champion Camp Aguinaldo. Dugong landed third, nine points behind the tournament’s presentor.
Fifteen-year-old Joo Hyung Kim led Manila Southwoods to the crown in the Fil Championship when he holed out with a two under for 38 points, the first in the short BCC course in two weeks of competition. Southwoods assembled 137 points for 561 points and a 29-point win over first-round leader Forest Hills.
Southwoods Am team completed a double whammy at the CJH course and another dominating year when it closed with 134 and 501 for a 50 shot win over Razons of Guagua.
Joo, meanwhile sneaked past first- and third-round leader Jude Eustaquio of Forest Hills for the championship individual title. Joo’s closing round of 38 gave him 144 points to equal Eustaquio but won by virtue of the higher closing round. Eustaquio closed with a 33.
