BAGUIO CITY -- Host Baguio Country, Forest Hills, and Nueva Ecija on Sunday each scored 88 points en route to three-point lead advantage over Macquarie Links Australia at the start of competition in Fil A at the short but sleek par-61 BCC of the 68th Department of Tourism Fil-Am Invitational Golf Tournament.
Isaac Go shot 27 points as he powered the co-host even as Ed Montenegro came in with 22, Mars Garcia with 21 and Bong de Guzman churned in 18 points to count in the five to play four to count tournament presented by San Miguel Corporation.
Boo Keon Jung, meanwhile, top-scored for Forest Hills with 26, Rodolfo Villa had 24, while Armando Buenaventura and Gene Lim chipped in 20 and 18, respectively for the team’s game-tying 88.
Nueva Ecija, on the other hand, had 24 points from Ed Manzanares, a pair of 22s from Bobby Inigo and Butch Bakunawa and 20 from Doy Mercado.
Bernie Balagtas scored 26 points to lift Macquarie Links Australia to lurk behind the three squads with 85 points.
Herminio Salvio shot 29 points and opened San Miguel’s bid with a five-point lead in Seniors Am A. With 28 points from Efren Alvez and a pair of 25s from Domingo Manuel and Ariel Javelalosa, San Miguel assembled 107 points to lead the six squad flight at the longer CJH course.
Wednesday Club Mimosa leaned on Senen Quiambao who shot 30 points for the team’s 102 points. Scorers for the team are Wolf Simandl (29), Willy Valencia (28) and Noel Yamzon (15).
Two shots down is Team Na Koa with 100 on the pair of 30s of Vic Ovales and Eugene Chiong and a 23 and 21 from Rene Ramos and Rick Ballucanag.
Meanwhile, Guam Golf Swingers struggled with 72 points but kept its lead Fil B for 158 two-day aggregate.
The Guamanians got 22 from Noly Carino, 20 from Jeff Lowery, 19 from Dan Ganacias and 11 from Willie Jamero as they take a day break before going to the longer CJH course.
Golf-F Veterans is another shot down after a 73 on the 21 of Jun Bucago, 20 of Jose Cortina, 17 of Danny Gonzales and 15 of Flor Fajilan as the erstwhile second-ranked team moved down to the third spot, four up on Brent Residences.
BCC scored 78 points for 161 points and retain a single point lead on PR Bank -- Isabela which nipped two off the leader.
Jun Basabica led BCC with 22, even as Paeng Ding, Herr Bautista and Mon Aldana chipped in 20, 19 and 17, in that order to count for the team.
Noel Binag scored 22, Willy Enciso and Ferdinand Ambatali made a similar 20 and Mel Asis came in with 18 as the team matched its first-day production of 80 for a 160 aggregate and a looming showdown with the co-host in the last two days.
Horizon Golf is 18 points down after a 67 and 142, just a point off ICSI/TMI which made 76 for a 141 aggregate.(PNA)
