BEACON Academy, starring Gabriel Manotoc and the steady Basti Lorenzo, completed a final weekend comeback to win the National Golf Association of the Philippines’ first Inter-Scholastics Invitational golf championship pulling away from Lyceum-Cavite at Canlubang’s South course in Laguna.
Manotoc struck hardest on Saturday, powering Beacon to a 142 with his two-under-par 70 even as Lorenzo, fully recovered from a shoulder injury, returned a couple of 72s that gave them a 72-hole 588 total and an eight-shot win over Lyceum in the event presented by the MVP Sports Foundation.
Santi Lorenzo, elder brother of Basti, actually fired a 74 and was the second man that counted for Beacon on the final day, but the 15-year-old Manotoc, counting earlier rounds of 72 and 74, still ran away with the individual title despite a final day 80.
Lawrence Celestino had a 72 and Wolen Superal a 74 and Lyceum couldn’t put a dent on an overnight eight-shot deficit for second in the event that is part of the PLDT Group Amateur Tour and backed by Pancake House, Nike, Golf Depot and Pacsports.
La Salle-Greenhills, the leader after the first two rounds, floundered in the final weekend and finished third, 12 strokes off the pace. De La Salle University was fourth, another 12 shots behind.
LSGH came into the final Saturday holding a three-shot lead over Lyceum only for Manotoc to spearhead a dizzying third round by Beacon and anchor his squad to a tournament-best 142 for the day.
That was 13 shots better than Lyceum-Cavite, which got a 77 from Celestino and a 78 from Carlos Tinio as Superal, the former junior wonder, floundered with an 84 and failed to count for the first time for his squad.
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