Cebuana Gabasa makes strong start in MVPSF golf tourney

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebuana golfing sensation Junia Gabasa finished strong to take a two stroke lead over Grace Quintanilla at the start of the ladies side of the fourth MVPSF Visayas Regional Match Play Championships at the Cebu Country Club on Monday, April 8, 2019.

Gabasa — out for some redemption after settling for a division title in the Phl Juniors as young Rianne Malixi snared the overall crown — sank birdies on two of the last three holes to finish with a 74 and bring a two-stroke lead over Quintanilla, who groped for a 76, in the five-day event organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines as part of its talent-search in various regions.

Read more: Cebuana golfer Junia Gabasa settles for second in PH Jr. Amateur Open Golf C’ships 

Pamela Mariano skidded to an 82 but still took third spot while Kristine Fleetwood and Cleer Flores struggled with 90 and 95 but still stood well inside the cutoff line in the distaff side.

Joaquin Gomez birdied the last hole to salvage an even par 72 and catch Carl Corpus and a faltering Jacob Rolida at the helm in the men’s competition. 

Corpus, runner-up here last year, actually took charge with a 35 at the turn but faltered at the finish while Rolida blew a two-under card with bogeys in the last two holes, enabling Gomez to force a three-way tie with a birdie on No. 18.

Thirty seven players are slugging it out in the 36-hole stroke play elims with the top 16 moving to the next phase where play shifts to match play in the event held as part of the PLDT Group National Amateur Tour.

Corpus looked headed for a strong after a two-birdie, one-bogey effort after nine holes at the flat but tight layout. But after seven straight pars, he fumbled with a bogey on the 17th and needed to salvage a par in the last to keep his share of the lead./dbs