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TAGAYTAY: La Salle banked on its young crew to post
an early 4-2 lead at the start of the La Salle-Ateneo Match Play
2007 Wednesday at the Tagaytay Midlands.
The youthful tandem of Miko
Alejandro and Justine Limjap humbled the veteran pair of Iggy
Clavecilla and Mari Hechanova, 4 & 3, while SEA Games silver
medalist Anya Tanpinco and partner Kim Hong recovered from a shaky
start to outclass Lovelyn Guioguio and Lana Farrales, 5 & 4, in
the foursome matches.
King Stehmeier and Oliver Gan
also fought back from three holes down at the turn to turn back the
fancied pair of reigning national champion Anthony Fernando and Joel
Bernaldez, 2 & 1, while Chucky Hong and Miko Yee fashioned out a
3 & 2 win over Nejie Sarmiento and Bayani Garcia for La
Salle’s four victories in the alternate shot format event.
It took a thrilling final hole
win by the pair of Bag Atienza and John Gobing over Justine
Alejandro and JP Reyes to keep Ateneo from falling farther behind as
the Eagles snatched a 1-up victory to close the gap at 2-4.
Marcel Puyat, fresh from his
victory in San Antonio, Texas recently, and Marty Ilagan provided
the only other win for Ateneo as they outplayed the La Salle tandem
of Sammy Sy and Bones Floro, 4 & 3.
“We were expecting a 3-3 start
at the worst. But the boys delivered and we’re happy for our good
start,” said La Salle skipper Freddie Mendoza, whose combinations
produced outstanding results for the team gunning for a third
straight win in the Ryder Cup-style format event organized and
hosted by Belle Corp. and Tagaytay Highlands.
The fourball (betterball) matches
are being played at press time.
The two teams resume their duel
for golf supremacy Thursday with the second foursomes and fourballs
matches with the Archers hoping to ride the momentum of their solid
start and the Eagles, winner of the inaugural tournament in 2004,
out to redeem themselves and turn the tables around on their
archrivals.
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