Duque-Padilla, Chan-Ong shine in Southwoods Invitational

Lia Duque and Tristan Padilla flashed top form and closed out with 77 points to emerge the overall gross champions while Dennis Chan and Ariel Ong snared the overall net trophy via tiebreak in the 2024 Southwoods Invitational at the Masters and Legends courses in Carmona, Cavite on Saturday, March 16.

Duque and Padilla flourished under the Aggregate format at the Legends, combining for 77 points to assemble a 36-hole total of 153, counting their 76-point output in Best Ball at the Masters.

They foiled last year’s winner Shinichi Suzuki, who with new partner Yoshikazu Hino, finished with a 148 (64-84), while Jun Jun Plana and Gab Macalaguim placed third with a 147 (65-82) in the tournament supported by Platinum sponsors CWC International Corp., Calamba Doctors Hospital and Calamba Doctors College.

Chan and Ong, on the other hand, delivered a remarkable performance on the final day of the tournament, matching JJ Atencio and Jake Ong’s score of 175, also from rounds of 79 and 96 at the Legends and Masters, respectively.

Chan and Ong clinched the overall net crown via tiebreak with a lower team index (30.7-34.4). Fred dela Cruz and Rene Gorada finished third with a 169 (77-92).

Rolly Tolores and Faustito Caballero, Jr., meanwhile, led the category winners in the event which attracted a record 325-team cast with Federal Land, Inc. and The Turf Company as Gold sponsors.

Tolores and Caballero dominated Division I with a 162 (72-90) for a seven-point romp over Dodie Puno and Monet Garcia, who scored a 155 (73-82), while Joseph Tambunting and Derek Ramsay edged two other teams in the tiebreak for third with a 153 (65-88).

The Chan-Ong tandem likewise claimed the Division II title, besting dela Cruz and Gorada (169), while Will Steedman and Anton Barandiaran combined for a 167 (71-96) for third.

The Jose Bengzon-Ricardo Nimo pair posted 75 and 92, and matched Hector Villanueva and Fernand Tizon’s 73 and 94 outputs then secured the Division III trophy with a lower team index (25.8-34.5) after both ended up with 167s.

Francis Tanjangco and Paolo Tanjangco placed third with a 165 (73-92).

Rodel Resuello and Splendido Taal general manager Bobby Chico ruled Division IV, also via tiebreak (31.5-32.5), scoring 72 and 96 for a 168, and nipping Gene Ynion and Armando Silva, who scored 74 and 94.

Jun Ymbong and Ariel Javelosa took third place with a 167 (73-94), edging Marcelino Yu and Florentino Villarma, Jr. (71-96-167) in a tiebreak (29.7-42.3).

Atencio and Ong nailed the Division V crown with a 175, eight points clear of Marc Tio and Paul Martires (71-96-167), who nipped Paolo Medina and Johansen de Joyo (81-86-167) for second, also via tiebreak (29.4-42.9).

John Marc Andaya and Dennis Gonzalez topped the Sponsors/Guests category, scoring a 156 (70-86) for a two-point victory over Julienne Guintu and Eleazar Setha (66-68-154). Jude Eustaquio and Jose Emmanuel Angeles ended up third with a 153 (71-82).

Backers of the event were hole-in-one sponsors Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp., Toyota Silang, Cavite, RCI and Baron Travel, Klio International, Ogawa, Newport World Resorts and Hyundai Motors Phils., and Silver sponsors are Abomar Equipment Sales Corp., Agrexplore Corp., Le Chef, Inc., Leads Agricultural Products Corp., City of Cabuyao, City of Carmona, Mit-Air, Inc., Pacsports Phils. Inc. and Regent Travel Corp.