MANILA, Philippines - National team mainstay Rupert Zaragosa carded a six-under-par 66 and towed partner Caloy Coscolluela to the low gross lead even as Noel Gonzales and bank executive Yok Chin Ng paced the low net race in the 31st edition of the Mango Tee at the Alabang Country Club course.
Zaragosa drained eight birdies – including five in a seven-hole stretch from No. 1 – for a net 40 points and Coscolluela, the president of the National Golf Association of the Philippines, backed Zaragosa’s with a net 38 to move up in the battle for the Class A plum in the six-day event co-presented by Petron and Smart.
Gonzales and Ng, meanwhile, scored 44 and 38, respectively, for an 82 total to lead all net scorers after the first three days of competition with Marilyn Reyes and Mario Badillo a point behind after posting 38 and 43, respectively.
Zaragosa and Coscolluela led JB Garcia and Kristoffer Arevalo (67) by two and the pairs of Tommy Manotoc-Carlo Villaroman and Jorge Gallent-Jun Jun Plana by three heading to the final three days of the tournament.
Major sponsors for the event are Pacific Links, Pepsi, Turf Co., Hungry Hippo, Hanes, Food Details, Mizuno, PacSports, Chivas Regal, The Glenlivet and LG Electronics.
Organizers also put a multi-million prize package for hole-in-one feats that includes a Mitsubishi ASX, a Texas Eagle cart and P100,000 worth of gas from Petron on No. 8., a Ford Fiesta, Yamaha cart and Piaggio APE Passenger on No. 6, a Mercedes Benz C-Class and Club Car on No. 15 and Toyota FJ Cruiser, Yamaha cart and Mytron cart on No. 12.
Reyes and Badillo were up by three over Christine Naidoo and Marit Yuchengco in Class B while Fisher Chua-Howard Ching were 9 behind at 72. Gonzales and Ng were far ahead in Class C, posting a nine-point lead over Senen Matoto-Joseph Ong and Orlando Diomampo-Frederick Alegre.
Ed Lacson and Dennis Gamab chalked up 71 to lead Renato Reyes-Bert de Castro and Carlos Samonte-Renan Osero by three in Class D.