Southwoods targets title with 20-point cushion

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – Four-peat-seeking Manila Southwoods slowed down a bit in the penultimate round but with a considerable 20-point cushion and a high-powered crew to close the 71st Philippine Airlines Interclub Golf Tournament. It looked poised to complete its drive to a rare four-peat.

After a hot 140-139 opening, the Carmona-based squad submitted 126 points under scorching heat at the tight Bacolod Golf and Country Club (Binitin), allowing Luisita, with its 129 effort, to chop three points off its overnight lead.

But Southwoods (405 points) won’t be losing sleep over this, quickly shifting focus on today’s last round at Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club, where the crack team of Taisei Shimizu, Yuto Katsuragawa, Chepe Dulay, Jun jun Plana and Jama Reyes is ready for the mop-up job.

“It wasn’t a good day for us; the conditions were more difficult than yesterday (Friday). But we’re comfortable being 20-up (going to the last round),” Southwoods’ non-playing captain Thirdy Escano said.

Southwoods fielded the exact roster that delivered 139 in the second round in the same Binitin layout but somehow couldn’t sustain its hot form. Kristoffer Arevalo, who accounted for a fiery 38 in Round 2, limped with a 10-over 80 for a low 26 points yesterday and didn’t count in SW’s tally. Tom Kim took scoring cudgels with his even 70 for 36 markers with Luigi Paolo Wong (32), Adric Chan (30), and Carl Corpus (28) backing him up.

Luisita outplayed SW yesterday as 14-year-old Sean Jean Ramos took charge with a one-under 69 for 37 points.  Luis Miguel Guerrero (33), Benjie Sumulong (31) and Eddie Bagtas (28) also scored for the Tarlac-based club, which totaled 385 after three days for No. 2 ahead of misfiring Canlubang (119 yesterday and 369 overall). Del Monte (118 and 350 overall) brought up the rear in the centerpiece Championship play.

Shimizu and company, who torched the Marapara layout on opening day, are tasked to clinch it for SW today.

“We have a strong team tomorrow and I’m pretty confident they’ll deliver,” said Escano, who expects his wards to finish strong, especially  Katsuragawa, their top gunner in 2017 who bombed with 30 points in Round One and didn’t contribute to SW’s output the first time.

“Definitely we’ll hit 140 again. The boys are eager to bounce back, especially Yuto who I’m sure will play a good game this time,” said Escano.