LIPA CITY – Abe Avena kicked off his drive for a second crown in three years with a two-over 74, wresting a two-shot lead at the start of the Philippine Senior and Mid-Amateur Open Championships at the Mt. Malarayat Golf and Country Club in Batangas here.
Avena rebounded from an early pair of bogey mishaps at Mt. Lobo with three straight birdies from No. 8 but blew a one-under card with bogeys on Nos. 12, 15 and 18 at Mt. Malipunyo.
Cangolf’s Rolly Viray birdied the last hole to save a 76 and take the early challenger’s role while last year’s runner-up Dave Hernandez of Calatagan recovered from a 41 start with a 38 for a 79 for joint third with Damasus Wong, who wavered with a closing 41 at Mt. Malipunyo nine.
William Goodwin missed seizing solo third with a double-bogey miscue on No. 18, slipping to fifth with an 80 followed by Mike Besa and Tommy Manotoc, who carded identical 81s, while Renato Unson, Tony Olivez, Ernesto Lim and Zaldy Villa turned in similar 83s in the 54-hole championship sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation and held as part of the PLDT Group National Amateur Golf Tour.
Action in the other featured categories of the event, the first tournament of the new NGAP board, led by president Martin Lorenzo, starts today, including the Mid Am Open with Forest Hill’s Judeson Eustaquio, actor Derek Ramsey, Brixton Ax, Jerome Hernandez, Mike Igarashi, Jeck Mendoza and Gerald Katigbak heading the cast in the premier event for players 25-years-old.