Mars Pucay, Baguio’s standout golfer and alumnus of the Fil-Am Golf Invitational, finished in a tie for 11th place at the ICSTI Negros Occidental Classic in Bacolod on Friday, October 24. The tournament was shortened to 36 holes due to rains from Typhoon Kristine (Trami), making the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club unplayable.
Rupert Zaragosa, also a former Fil-Am Golf participant, claimed victory with a six-under total of 134, six strokes ahead of his closest rivals, veterans Tony Lascuña and Reymon Jaraula. Zaragosa’s win, his second in the Philippine Golf Tour, came with a P450,000 prize, which he dedicated to his ailing grandfather. He will compete next month in the ICTSI Match Play Championship at The Country Club in Laguna.
Lascuña and Jaraula shared second place, each scoring a 140 and receiving P232,500. Six players tied for fourth with a score of 141, including Collin Wheeler, Keanu Jahns, Russell Bautista, Sean Ramos, Francis Morilla, and first-round leader Michael Bibat.
Pucay, a Heroes Wall of Fame inductee and University of Baguio High School graduate, thanked Marapara Golf Club for hosting the season’s final stroke play event before the upcoming match play format, saying, “Thank you, Marapara Golf Club, for hosting our 10th and final leg of ICTSI/PGT before we shift to match play next month.”
