Roy-Dagelet rules Sta. Elena Cup

MANILA, Philippines - Rene Roy and Ricky Dagelet needed a net albatross to capture the overall net title via the countback while national player Jayvie Agojo scooped up most of the gross awards playing as the guest partner of Egay San Luis in the Sta. Elena Cup member-guest tournament of the Sta. Elena Golf Club course in Cabuyao, Laguna.

Roy and Dagelet ended the 36-hole competition tied with Jun Jun Lopez and Nonoy Chuatico for the net crown at 157 but a net albatross on the former’s scorecard proved hard to beat in the tiebreak that lent an exciting finish to the event presented by Lexus and Omega that ended on the eve of the Chinese New Year.

Lopez and Chuatico got for themselves the Class A trophy instead with Nelson Leung-Manny Alarilla (Class B) and Donnavan Yu-Raymund Sangil (Class C) completing the roster of net division winners.

Agojo, however, stole the show with a dominating performance even with a zero handicap. The former Pepperdine U standout teamed up with San Luis for the low gross plum and picked up every individual gross trophy disputed in the tourney also sponsored by Royal Caribbean, Canon, SAP, Mizuno, Tourmaster, Club Car, Yamaha, L’Oreal, Asia Brewery, Novellino, Selecta and Chivas Regal.

Jayvie, who took the team net title with San Luis last year, bagged the individual low gross with a 78 on course and weather conditions at Sta. Elena. That was close to perfect as it matched the best Round 1 gross of 38 posted by ex-pro Sangil and carded 40 for the best Round 2 gross score.

The tourney, ending on the eve of a national holiday, allowed the more than 500 participants to spend a good time at the awards ceremony with entertainment provided by Route 70 band, a feast of Oriental food prepared by famous chef Joseph Goh and a bounty of raffle prizes.

There were also plenty of stories on close shaves at winning the P2.3 million Lexus CT200h staked as a hole-in-one prize which eluded the field this time.     

A special prize went to Dutch member and Asian Tour campaigner Guido Van der Valk who posted the best score of 82 points or 10 under in medal play among the pros playing on special invites. He beat out Asian Tour champion Juvic Pagunsan, Rick Gibson, Angelo Que and Carito Villaroman.