Rolida, Gabasa top MVPSF reg’l elims

Jacob Rolida survived a backside meltdown to gain the low medal honors with a 147 after a 75 while Junia Gabasa topped the girls’ elims with a second 74 in the fourth MVPSF Visayas Regional Match Play Championships at Cebu Country Club yesterday.

Rolida broke away from a three-way tie with a two-under 34 start but fumbled with a closing five-over 41 card marred by a double-bogey on the last hole which he bucked to clinch the top seeding among the 16 qualifiers for today’s (Wednesday) start of the match play phase.

Rolando Pila birdied the last hole to salvage a 74 for a 148 then nipped Aidric Chan, who bogeyed the 18th for a 74-148, in the countback for the No. 2 spot in the knockout quarterfinals of the weeklong event serving as part of the PLDT Group National Amateur Tour and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.

Chan, winner of last week’s Philippine Junior Open, settled for No. 3 followed by Joaquin Gomez, who matched Rolida’s opening 72 but hobbled with a 78 for a 150.

Gabasa also wavered at the tough backside of the tight, tree-lined layout, ending up with a 38 for that 74 and a 36-total of 148, three shots ahead of Pamela Mariano, who rallied with a three-under 69 to snare the No. 2 spot with a 151.

Grace Quintanilla placed third with a 154 after a 78, followed by Kristine Fleetwood (88-178), Ashley Llena (86-183), Cleer Flores (95-190), Marie Suelo (102-207) and Wilma Fantonial (109-209).

Others who advanced in men’s play of the event, sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation, PLDT Group, Cignal and Metro Pacific and hosted by CCC, were Paolo Wong, who limped with a 78 for a 151, the same output put in by Martin Mendoza, who fought back with a 74, and Joseph Alvarez, who carded a 75, while Harvey Sytiongsa and opening day co-leader Carl Corpus pooled 152s after a 78 and 80, respectively.