South trips North in The Duel’s biggest turn around

The South parbusters authored the biggest comeback in the The Duel’s history as they dominated the singles competition, 9-3 yesterday, to hack out a 12.5 – 11.5 win over the North and retain the crown in the bruising final day at the Wack Wack’s East Course.

Cebuano golf ace Charles “Chuckie” Hong did his part, getting an all-square result in his match-up against Miguel Tabuena to help the South get the nine-point result and the one-point victory over a North team that was flying high during the first two days of the tournament.

READ: Cebuano Hong competes in Apo Golf

Given up for lost after yielding the fourball and foursomes matches in the first two days and trailing, 3.5-8.5, the Southerners proved they are a lot better in individual play with the power-hitting Orlan Sumcad and veteran Elmer Salvador sparking the unbelievable turnaround.

The win also made Team South the first back-to-back winner of the local version of Ryder Cup put up by ICTSI in 2012 to further foster camaraderie among the country’s leading players from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Sumcad dominated Benjie Magada in the second pairing and came away with a 7&6 rout, the same output dished out by Salvador against Randy Garalde in the last match of the 12-pair finale of the event.

Inspired by their teammates’ early romps, Marvin Dumandan followed up with a 2-up win over Miguel Ochoa; Cassius Casas and Clyde Mondilla disposed of Gerald Rosales and Keanu Jahns, respectively, via the same score, 3&1; Rufino Bayron routed Jun Bernis, 4&2; Tony Lascuña nipped Mars Pucay, 2&1, and Jay Bayron downed Joenard Rates, 3&1, on a clutch win on No. 17.

Those eight wins, coupled with another all-square result by Ferdie Aunzo against James Ryan Lam completed the South’s comeback.

Needing just four wins out of 12 matches to re-claim the crown they won in 2013, the Northerners fell short and posted just three points with only Angelo Que and Michael Bibat delivering the wins, a 2&1 decision over Arnold Villacencio and a 1-up escape over Jhonnel Ababa, respectively.

Aunzo fell behind by two holes after No. 16 but Lam bogeyed the 17th and the duo hit the bunkers on their approach shots on the last hole. But Lam cracked under pressure and failed to blast out on his first try while Aunzo got onto the green in three and two putted for bogey.