Jacob Rolida, Junia Gabasa top MVPSF regional eleminations

MANILA, Philippines — Jacob Rolida blew a superb frontside stint with a floundering windup but still emerged on top with a 147 despite a 75 while Junia Gabasa topped the girls’ elims with a second 74 in the fourth MVPSF Visayas Regional Match Play Championships at the Cebu Country Club yesterday.

Rolida broke away from a three-way tie with a two-under 34 start but stumbled with a closing five-over 41, including a double-bogey on the last hole which however failed to prevent the Cagayan de Oro bet from nailing the top seeding among the 16 qualifiers for today’s start of the match play phase.

Rolando Pila holed out with a birdie to salvage a 74 for a 148. He edged Aidric Chan, who bogeyed the 18th for a 74-148, in the countback for the No. 2 spot in the knockout quarterfinals of the weeklong event serving as part of the PLDT Group National Amateur Tour and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.

Chan, seeking a follow-up to his Philippine Junior Open victory last week, settled for No. 3 followed by Joaquin Gomez (78-150).

Gabasa also struggled at the tough backside of the tight, tree-lined layout, ending up with a 74-148, followed by Pamela Mariano, (69-151), Grace Quintanilla (78-154), Kristine Fleetwood (88-178), Ashley Llena (86-183), Cleer Flores (95-190), Marie Suelo (102-207) and Wilma Fantonial (109-209).

Others who advanced in men’s play were Paolo Wong (78-151),  Martin Mendoza, (74-151), Joseph Alvarez (75-151), Harvey Sytiongsa (78-152) and   (180-152). Carl Corpus (80-152), Santino Laurel (79-155), Mikhail Ybañez (76-156), Masaichi Otake (80-156), Alfredo Cabajar (79-157), Mark Dy (77-158), Wei Yu Gao (78-158) and Fernando Mondares (82-159), who edged Pierre Neri (80-159) on the second playoff hole for the last spot and a faceoff with Rolida.

The event is sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation, PLDT Group, Cignal and Metro Pacific.