Manila Southwoods saved its best for last when it could’ve turned in its worst and would’ve still won by a mile, claiming the Fil Championship crown for the seventh straight year at the close of the 70th Fil-Am Invitational golf tournament at the Baguio Country Club yesterday.
The Carmona-based squad pooled a 122 after a 105 Tuesday to cap its four-day romp in the premier division of the annual event that kicked off at nearby Camp John Hay and ended up at BCC where it all but sealed the championship with an unassailable 44-point bulge after three rounds.
The perennial champs finished with a 546 total, whipping Forest Hills by 55 points after the latter wound up with a 491 after a 111. Royal Northwoods scored a 114 and placed third with 489.
Southwoods made it a double celebration as its Am Championship squad reigned via a 29-point triumph over Batangas Barakos, 463-434 with Aguri Iwasaki capping the team’s domination by winning the individual plum with a 140, leading an imposing 1-2-3 finish as erstwhile frontrunner Lanz Uy wound up with a 138 and Taisei Shimizu securing third place with a 136.
Southwoods actually played the final round of the Fil Championship with four players as SEA Games veteran Sean Ramos was down with a bum stomach and Uy produced a measly 25-point output while fighting off flu-like symptoms. But Shimizu took charge with 34 points and Iwasaki and Aidric Chan, also a member of the SEAG bronze medal team, added 32 and 31 points, respectively.
“These are very talented kids and they will surely adjust the next day. But then, some of them are just really sick. Uy could have done better. He thrives in this course. But then he is very underrated,” said Southwoods team captain Thirdy Escano of his top gun, who sizzled at John Hay with an eight under-card in the first round then shot a seven-under in Day 2. He also led the squad at BCC with 33 points Tuesday but illness slowed him down in the final round, enabling Aguri to snatch the individual honors.
Forest Hills, meanwhile, drew 31 points from Rocky Co while Inigo Raymundo, Dan Cruz and Jude Eustaquio backed him up with 29, 27 and 24 points, respectively.
Stephen Sul broke par with 36 points to lead Northwoods’ final day charge with Nik Gatmaytan adding 28 points and Joaquin Hernandez and Gido Mandanas coming up with 27 and 21 points, respectively.
In Am Championship play, Josh Jorge closed out with a 36 to lead Southwoods which also got 28 points each from Jeff Jung and Masaichi Otake and a 27 from Santino Laurel.