In-form Shinichi Suzuki fueled another potential title charge in the Southwoods Invitational, teaming up with new partner Yoshikazu Hino to produce 90 points and tie Rolly Tolores and Faustito Caballero, Jr, after the completion of the first round in Carmona, Cavite on Thursday.
Suzuki, a key member of the Manila Southwoods squad that clinched a ninth championship in the recent PAL Interclub, and Hino flourished in the best ball format play at the Masters, matching the Tolores-Caballero tandem under the stableford points scoring system.
With Teruhisa Taguchi, Suzuki captured the overall gross team championship last year.
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They led by two points over the pairs of Joseph Tambunting-Derek Ramsay and Raul Magpantay-Manny Rubio, who posted identical 88s in Division I in the last of two batches competing in the 36-hole tournament which boasted a record cast of 325 teams.
Meanwhile, Batch 1 resumes play Friday in sequential tee times, also at 6 a.m. while the second batch will complete their 36-hole round on Saturday in a shotgun style format at 7 a.m.
Theody Pascual and Ferdie Barbosa scored 86 points for fifth in the premier category while Batch I top scorers Kazuo Murakami and Renie Floro slipped to joint sixth with 84 points alongside the pairs of Jaco Yupangco-Raffy Ocampo and Michael Chan-Tomas Pohang.
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Meanwhile, three tandems shared the Division II lead, highlighting the competitiveness in the host club’s centerpiece tournament.
Will Steedman and Anton Barandiaran, Arlette Raquino and Vicky Herrera, and Dennis Chan and Ariel Ong carded identical 96 points, also at the Masters, to seize a four-point lead over the pairs of Fred dela Cruz-Rene Gorada and Nathan de Villa-Jeffrey Ryan Ocampo.
Maritess Castillo and Richard Bernardino took solo control in Division III with 76 points under the aggregate format at the Legends, one point ahead of Jose Bengzon and Ricardo Nimo, while Southwoods chairman Bob Sobrepeña and Forest Hills general manager Raymond Bunquin dropped to joint third with 74 points with Aurelio Gomez and Edwin Arceo, and Poch Hernandez and Antonio Otayza.
In Division IV, Iggy Escaño and Joaquin Bilbao combined for 76 points, also at Legends, and got past Gene Ynion and Armando Salva, who earlier scored 74 points, while Jun Ymbong and Ariel Javelosa remained in contention with a 73 points.
Marc Tio and Paul Martires teamed up for 96 points at Masters, forcing a tie with JJ Atencio and Jake Ong in Division V, while Manolo Agojo and Vicente Marquez stayed in the mix with 94 points.
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In the Sponsors/Guests division, Jayson Yu and Manny Santander’s 73 points fashioned out at Legends Wednesday kept them in the lead, two points clear of Jude Eustaquio and Jose Emmanuel Angeles, who turned in a 71, while Rebecca Cai and Mira See carded 70 points.