Southeast Asian Games veteran Sean Ramos and Gabby Macalaguim used a strong start to wrest control then banked on a stronger finish to stay ahead with a seven-under 61, one up on Lanz Uy and Ryan Monsalve, at the start of the National Doubles Amateur Golf Championship at the Camp Aguinaldo Golf Club in Quezon City yesterday.
Ramos and Macalaguim dished out top form coming off the holiday break, birdying five of the first 10 holes then recovering from mishaps on Nos. 11 and 13 with birdies in the last four to hold off an equally hot-starting Uy-Monsalve tandem under the four-ball format of the National Golf Association of the Philippines’ closing event for 2019.
Uy and Monsalve actually sizzled with five birdies in a solid stint after 12 holes but fumbled with a bogey on the par-3 16th, needing to birdie the last two to shoot a 62 and hound the Ramos-Macalaguim pair heading to today’s second round where play shifts to aggregate format.
Tomorrow’s final round will be two-ball foursomes (alternate shot).
While the other fancied pairs struggled in best-ball play, Aries Mata and Lawrence Celestino struck back from a frontside even-par game with five birdies against a bogey at the back of the 36-32 military layout, shooting a 64 for third while reigning Indonesian Amateur Open champion Luis Castro and Andres Lorenzo also rallied with a 29 to stay in the mix with 65.
