Gallardo, Legaspi escape with close wins

MANILA, Philippines - Eric Gallardo and Maan Legaspi scrambled their way to close victories in Class A even as Rupert Zaragosa and five others remained unbeaten in the lower divisions after the recent third leg of the school season series of the ICTSI Jungolf Circuit.

At the Ayala Greenfield Golf and Leisure Club course in Calamba, Laguna, Gallardo survived a triple-bogey misadventure on the 15th hole with a one-under-par 71 in the second and final round to beat former world jungle champ Wolen Superal by one.

Gallardo’s 150 total gave him his second straight win by the same margin. Legaspi also posted win No. 2, this time at the expense of Marvi Monsalve with a 74-84-158 for a two-shot victory.

As Zaragosa (boys Class C), Princess Superal (girls Class B), Kristoffer Arevalo (boys Class D), Bernice Olivares-Ilas (girls Class E), Jed Dy (boys Class F)and Arnie Taguines (girls Class F) streaked to their third straight titles, Fidel Concepcion, Kristine Torralba, Mia Legaspi and Philippe Winsett-Palanca broke into the win column.

ICTSI is the chief sponsor of the revitalized circuit with Philippine Airlines, McDonald’s, Smart, Golf Depot, Pioneer Insurance, Unilever and Friends of JGFP as the other sponsors.

Concepcion claimed the boys Class B plum by three strokes, Legaspi took the girls Class C trophy and Kristine Torralba won the girls Class D award also at Ayala Greenfield while Palanca topped boys Class E at the Riviera executive course.

Joey Huerva repeated as champion in the special division also at Ayala Greenfield.

The circuit takes a long break to allow the players to prepare for the final stretch of the school year. It resumes at Valley Golf executive course on Feb. 28.

“This has been one of the most competitive school season series we’ve had and it puts the kids in form when we go full blast in the summer,” said Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines president Luigi Tabuena.