MANILA, Philippines - Cyril Salamanque and Thomas Bartolome took turns in rolling in crucial pars and a couple of birdies on the last nine holes of the up-and-down Alta Vista course to help Eagle Ridge maintain the top spot in the Club of the Year race after the recent Cebu leg of the 2014 Sta. Lucia Golf Tour.
Salamanque and Bartolome assembled 42 points in the best ball format in the first round then combined for 58 in the aggregate system for a 36-hole total of 100 as they beat the 96 (38-58) of Mario Mercader and Maricel Amor of Royale Tagaytay in Group 4.
That victory hiked Eagle Ridge’s output to 80 points, including the Davao score of 41, two ahead of Summit Point, which has 78, while Royale Tagaytay remains at third with 72, guaranteeing a three-way fight for the COY award heading to the Manila leg set at Summit Point and Eagle Ridge from Oct. 16-19.
“Eagle Ridge and Summit Point went toe-to-toe at Alta Vista. But they have to be on guard as Royale Tagaytay is just a few points behind. It is going to be a battle royale in the Manila leg,” said tournament chairman and Sta. Lucia vice president for purchasing Vincent Santos.
Other team scores of the event co-presented by PLDT Home, Royale Homes, Readycon, Marriot and OPMC, were Beverly Place 51, Alta Vista 49, Lakewood 39, Rancho Palos Verdes 27, Orchard 22 and Caliraya Springs 20.
Aside from the Salamanque-Bartolome pair, other division winners were Alta Vista’s Razi Razon and Jufil Sato (Group 1-150 points) and Rolando Alberto and Marlo Cugtas (Group 2-147) and Royale Tagaytay’s Benjamin Espina and Carmelo de Jesus (Group 3-122).
Efren Alvez and Nestor Garcia, meanwhile, won the guests/sponsors title with 132 points in the 15th edition of the event, created specifically for members of clubs under the umbrella of Sta. Lucia Land.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Cemex, Mizuno, Empire, GolfPH.com, Pacsports, Philippine Airlines, Marco Polo Hotel, Steel Asia, Sta. Lucia Ready Mix, Pag-Asa Steel and Pocari Sweat are the other backers of the tour.