Golf: Philippines snaps drought, lifts Putra Cup

Team Philippines collected title number 18 on Sunday, when it hoisted the Putra Cup after a near two-decade drought, following a rout of Singapore and deposed champions Thailand at the Sherwood Hills Golf Club in Trece Martires, Cavite.
            
Rico Hoey (68), Jobim Carlos (70) and the 71 of either Rupert Zaragosa or Jonathan delos Reyes counted for the country’s 209 final round score and 840 total in four days.
            
Singapore could only muster 217 on a stormy day brought about by Typhoon Gorio and settled for a runner-up finish with 862.  Thailand took third place with 864.
            
The last time the Philippines won was back in 1996, with a team that featured Asian Tour veteran Antonio Lascuna, and local pros Richard Sinfuego, Rey Pagunsan and Gerard Cantada.
            
The 53rd Putra Cup, or the Southeast Asian Golf Team Championship, was hosted by Sherwood Hills and Suntrust.

Malaysian Gavin Green however claimed the individual crown.  He wound up with a 14-under-par 274, and was followed by Delos Reyes (277), Hoey (280) and Carlos (283).

Thailand swept the Kartini Cup (junior women’s) and the Lion Cup (junior men’s) titles in this golf festival, which will be held in Brunei next year.

Pauline Del Rosario fired a 75 and Bianca Pagdanganan assembled a 76 as the Filipinas finished second in the Kartini Cup, losing by five to the Thais.

Malaysia (139-576) took care of business in the Santi Cup (women’s), drawing a 69 from Kelly Tan and 70 from Ven Chin.   - AMD, GMA News