Malixi, Team PHL lose ground

RIANNE MALIXI wavered with a second-round 73 and Team Philippines found itself nine strokes adrift South Korea which relied on consistency over sub-par scores in Day 2 Wednesday of the 43rd Queen Sirikit Cup at the Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club in Carmona, Cavite.

M alixi couldn’t sustain the 68 that she carded in sharing the firstround lead for individual honors and settled for a one-over 73 that was added to Mafy Singson’s 75 for the home team’s two-day total of 290.

L ois Kaye Go groped anew and her 80 again didn’t count for Team Philippines, which virtually dropped out of the race for team honors that South Korea led for the second straight day.

Yoo Hyun-jo and Kim Min-sol churned in similar 71s—Seo Kyorim’s 78 didn’t count—for a 281 total and a four-shot lead over India, which drew a six-under 66 from Avani Prashanth that was enough to save the day with Vidhatri Urs scrambling with a 77 and Nishna Patel not counting with a 78 T hree teams— defending champion Japan, China and Hong Kong China—were at 288. Our girls were unable to adjust to the sudden shift of conditions at the Masters,” Philippine captain Ann Granada said.

RIANNE MALIXI couldn’t sustain her top form in the second round.

Granada, however, remained hopeful for either a shot at the title or a podium finish as she hoped for strong performences from Go and Singson.

“ I’m looking forward to that moving day on Thursday. We need to forget what happened today and see how we can get into title contention tomorrow,” she said.

Despite the 73, Malixi remained in the hunt for individual honors although she had to contend with two others—New Zealand’s Fiona Xu (73) and South Korea’s Yoo Hyun-jo (71)— who tied her at 141.

They trailed Prashanth by three strokes.

Th ailand finished a shot better at 289 over the Philippines, which is tied at 290 with New Zealand.

R ounding out the team standings were Indonesia and Malaysia with similar 296s, Chinese-Taipei with 297 and Singapore with 305.

“That was a super round,” said Luisita non-playing skipper Jeric Hechanova when asked of Cangolf’s sterling opening 18. “I thought we did pretty well shooting 146. That was quite a special round that they came up with.”

A nother squad that also put together a super effort was Cebu Country Club, which is campaigning in the lower Founders division but trails the overall pace by just five points after a 150 also at Alta Vista.

Jay Yuvallos had 53 and Eric Deen 49 for Cebu CC, which counted the 48 of Antonio San Juan, even as Teodoro Almario drained three birdies in posting 50 points that boosted Club Filipino de Cebu to an opening 133 and a 19-point lead over Diram Country Club in the Sportswriters division.

T he Sugar Barons actually needed to tinker with their opening round team after Tommy Manotoc needed to go home hours before tee time because of a family emergency. And if he doesn’t return, Cangolf is in danger of playing one of the three remaining rounds with just three players.

E x-pro Dan Cruz collected 50 points, Chino Raymundo had 49 and Marty Ilagan shot 47 in his Seniors’ debut for the Luisitans, who threw away with 44 of Steve McDonald.

M anila Southwoods was another three points back after getting 51 points from Manfred Guangko, 48 from Bong Brobio and 44 from Luis Garcia, with Del Monte amassing 139 built around the 51 points of Ramon Jaraulla and 47 from Crispin Aparilla. I will play when the team asks me to play,” Rosal said when asked if he will still anchor the Sugar Barons in the final round on Saturday also at Alta Vista.

T he annual event, considered the country’s unofficial national team championship, was shelved for two years due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the 74th staging of the event is supported by platinum sponsors ABS-CBN Global, Asian Journal, Airbus and NUSTAR Resort and Casino.

G old sponsors include Radio Mindanao Network, Mastercard, Primax, University of Mindanao Broadcasting Network, PLDT/Smart, and Konsulta MD.

J oining the event as silver sponsors are Philippine National Bank, Biocostech and VISA. Minor sponsors are Bollore Logistics, Tanduay Brands International, and Asia Brewery while donors are Department of Tourism, Ogawa, Newport World Resorts, Rolls Royce and Boeing.

PSA HONORS THOMPSON, BOLDEN

THE country’s current top players in basketball and football are on the honor roll of the San Miguel Corp.-Philippine Sportswriters Association (SMCPSA) Annual Awards Night on March 6 at the grand ballroom of the Diamond Hotel.

B arangay Ginebra San Miguel guard Scottie Thompson is this year’s top professional basketball player, while Sarina Bolden will receive the same honor for women’s football.

T he 29-year-old Thompson, the reigning Philippine Basketball Association MVP, is in great company as previous winners of the Mr. Basketball Award the past two decades include June Mar Fajardo, Arwind Santos, Mark Caguioa, JayJay Helterbrand, Jimmy Alapag, James Yap, Asi Taulava and Willie Miller.

B olden, the 25-year-old midfielder of Team Filipinas, meanwhile, will be the first ever to be cited Ms. Football by the country’s oldest media organization headed by Rey Lachica, sports editor of Tempo.

T hompson and Bolden make up the long list of top achievers in 2022—led by Athlete of the Year Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo—who will be feted in the traditional gala night presented by the Philippine Sports Commission and Cignal TV

BOLDEN THOMPSON and with major backing from the Philippine Olympic Committee, Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, Milo, Smart, MVP Sports Foundation, Rain or Shine, 1Pacman Rep. Mikee Romero, Philippine Basketball Association, OKBet, International Container Terminal Services Inc. and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

T he year 2022 was a banner season for Thompson and Bolden.

The two-way guard out of University of Perpetual Help won his first ever MVP trophy in Asia’s pioneering pro league after playing a major role in Ginebra’s retention of the Governors’ Cup championship.

T he pride of Davao was also adjudged Finals MVP during the Kings’ title series against the Meralco Bolts, while emerging as Best Player of the Conference also for the first time.