BAGUIO CITY – Defending champion Luisita Golf and Country Club (LGCC) knows exactly what awaits: a tight, unforgiving, par-61 Baguio Country Club course where patience and precision will decide whether its Seniors Fil Championship crown stays in Tarlac.
Armed with a 25-point cushion heading into Tuesday’s crucial third round, Luisita sits comfortably on top with 259 points, well ahead of Riviera Golf (234) and Srixon IMG Team 1 (226). But complacency, team officials insist, has no place on a course notorious for punishing even the slightest miscalculation.
Luisita’s charge will once again hinge on Abraham ‘Abe’ Rosal, the tournament’s leading scorer in Group 1 with 71 points. Rosal set the tone early with a blistering three-under 66 worth 39 points at the John Hay layout, and his steady play will be vital as the team navigates BCC’s tight fairways and deceptive greens over the next two days.
Backing him are Ferdie Barbosa, Ronald Littaua, and Benjamin Sumulong—each currently ranked inside the Top 10 of the individual leaderboard. All four are expected to mount a determined push as the battle intensifies in this 75th staging of the Januarius Fil-Am Golf Invitational, backed by title sponsor Januarius Holdings Inc., with Malbon Phil’s, Toyota, Oroderm, and Mazda as major supporters.
Over in the Am Championship division, the action shifts to the world-class John Hay course, where Green Water Seniors Team holds a slim eight-point lead with 182 over Summit Point (174). Mamala Bay (170) and Srixon IMG Team 2 (157) hope the longer, wider Jack Nicklaus-designed layout can spark a resurgence in the final stretch.
Across the Fil-Am divisions, several squads are setting the pace:
Fil A – John Hay (278); Am A – The Young Ones (240), MOTO (240)
Fil B – Ultra Flite (177); Am B – JHG-BCDA (151), Stallion Golfers (150)
Fil C – Golden Razcals (252); Am C – Bughaw Golfers (232)
Fil E – Fil-Golfers of Hawaii Team 1 (180)
With tight leaderboards and tough course conditions ahead, the next two days promise the kind of drama and precision shot-making that have defined the Fil-Am for 75 years.