Gabasa sisters, Huang top 3-man shootout

CEBU, Philippines - Sisters Irina and Junia Gabasa and their teammate Philip Huang bagged the top honors in Division 1 during last weekend’s September Tournament of Alta Vista Golf and Country in Pardo, Cebu City.

The event followed the three-man shootout format.  This format requires all three team members to hit tee shot and the player, whose tee shot is picked will not anymore hit the next stroke while the teammates can place their ball within six inches of the chosen ball.  This is repeated until the ball is holed.

The Gabasa sisters and Huang combined for seven-under-par 65 strokes on nines of 31 and 34 for a gross 65.  They edged the trio of Enrico Solon, Jun Zambo and Doli Cabahug in the countback.

Solon, Zambo and Cabahug settled for the first runner-up honors also with 65 off nines of 30 and 35.  Second runner-up was the team of Jude Demiar, Tommy Ngo, and Archie Villa with 66 (32-35) edging the trio of Weiyu and Weifang Gao and Nimrod Quiñones (31-35) in the countback.

The format also required that all players of the team must have at least five tee shots that should be used during the round.

The title for Division 2 went to Harold Tan, Mark Tan, and Francis Granados with 68 strokes (32-36).

First runner-up was the team of Edward Kim, Billy Choi, and Joseph Shin with 70 strokes (36-34) edging Boy Gonzalez, Jun Mendoza, and Mario Caballes in the countback.  The team that lost in the tie breaker settled for the second runner-up honors.

A special prize was awarded to Irina Gabasa, who graduated last year from Vanderbilt University as a golf scholar, when he hit the tee shot closest to the pin on hole No. 6.

The award for the longest drive on No. 10 went to American Kevin Durr while the most accurate drive on No. 11 was made by Tedd Almario. (PR)(FREEMAN)