Pinoy Golfer Blog

Odyssey Golf is the number one putter manufacturer in the world. They put more putters into the hands of more golfers than any other putter manufacturer in the world for one simple reason; their putters work and work well. Skeptical? The next time you watch a professional golf tournament on TV, sit up and take note of how many of the pros on the telecast are gaming an Odyssey putter. A lot right? Right. The Black Series Tour Design putters are Odyssey’s top of the line; precision crafted and milled from soft 1025 soft carbon steel with direct feedback from some of the best golfers on the planet. The #1 Wide Model features a compact heel-toe weighted blade in the Anser/Newport style with a... Read More

AFTER THE UNITED STATES TOOK OVER THE PHILIPPINES in 1901, the new regime inaugurated a raft of development programs. Among these was infrastructure building to support to hasten economic growth. The U.S. Congress approved in 1905 the construction of railroads all over the archipelago. In Panay the task fell on Scottish and British engineers. But beyond building what they had been commissioned for, they built something else—a golf course. Not just any kind of golf course, but one that echoed the dramatic dunes of Scottish links. How did they do it? They wanted the course in Iloilo City, where they were based, perhaps somewhere around the scenic harbor. Trouble was that area was flat and prone... Read More

Starting the day with a 5-stroke lead, the tournament was Jay Bayron’s to lose. But we all know sleeping on a lead is never easy and I don’t think Jay slept very well. He started poorly and was 2 over after three holes. After 6 holes, he and Jhonnel Ababa were tied for the lead and Ababa didn’t let up. Jhonnel Ababa Jay Bayron He took the lead for the first time after another bogey by Bayron on the short par 3 10th and the two went at it hammer and tongs til day’s end. Bayron missed a short birdie putt on the par 3 12 and a chance to wrest the lead back from Ababa. Jhonnel bogeyed the long par 4 15th handing the lead back to Bayron. Ababa then missed the green on the... Read More

The golfers were greeted by a blanket of fog at the Iloilo Golf and Country Club this morning. Conditions were overcast and there was little wind to deal with; ideal scoring conditions or so it seemed. But today was the day the leaderboard was turned upside down except for the top spot. Jay Bayron Jay Bayron consolidated his lead by equaling the course record with a 4-under par 66 to lead on his own by 5 over his closest competitor. His opponents fell away one by one with over par rounds. Yesterday’s co-leaders Danny Zarate and Cassius Casas carded 2-over and 4-over par rounds respectively. Starting on the back nine, Randy Garalde got to 5-under par until stumbling in with a 39 (4-over... Read More

3-under par held up as the low score for the day; Cassisus Casas tied Jay Bayron and Danny Zarate at the top of the leaderboard at the close of the first day’s play at the ICTSI Iloilo Challenge. Casas was 4-under par through 17 but bogeyed the 18th after a hook off the tee. Meanwhile, Dan Cruz and Marvin Dumandan joined Rufino Bayron and Randy Garalde in a tie for fourth a stroke back. Cruz played his hallmark steady golf, steering clear of the trees and making lots of pars with a couple of birdies sprinkled in the mix. Marvin Dumandan was 5-under par after 16 holes but a bogey on 8 (he started his round on the back nine) and a double bogey on 9 dropped him down the order. If he managed... Read More

Jay Bayron was as good as his reputation; his 3-under par 67 ties him for the early lead with veteran Danny Zarate who has good memories of Sta. Barbara from his days on the old Philip Morris tour. Jay’s brother Rufino is a stroke behind at 2-under par together with Randy Garalde. It’s early going still as Richard Sinfuego and Marvin Dumandan are still out on the golf course. BAYRON, JAY 4 4 4 5 2 4 4 4 4 35 3 3 4 3 4 5 3 4 3 32 67 -3 ZARATE, DANNY 3 5 4 6 3 4 3 5 3 36 3 4 3 3 4 4 3 4 3 31 67 -3 BAYRON, RUFINO 3 4 4 5 3 4 4 4 3 34 3 3 4 3 5 5 3 4 4 34 68 -2 GARALDE, RANDY 4 4 3 4 4 4 4 3 4 34 3 4... Read More

The Philippine Golf Tour visits the historic Iloilo Golf and Country Club in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo this week to challenge the oldest golf course in the country. The course might be short but it’s got teeth. Unlike the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club, IGCC’s greens are extremely undulated and planted with a similar grass with lots of grain, which should complicate the lives of all the pros that are competing over the next three days. Beyond that, the lack of precipitation has left them hard and unreceptive to the high approach shots to which our professionals are accustomed. This leaves them with little choice but to either miss the green on purpose, something that goes against... Read More

The final result of the ICTSI Negros Occidental was a complete surprise. After Juvic Pagunsan birdied 3 of his first 4 holes in the final round, everyone thought that this would be another routine march to victory. But the golf gods had other plans. Bogeys on numbers 6 and 8 cut his lead over veteran Robert Pactolerin and Tony Lascuña and a double bogey on 11 and another bogey on 12 dropped him back into a tie with the two veterans. Yet another bogey on 16 knocked him out of the lead for good and in spite of his best efforts he never recovered. Juvic Pagunsan blasts out of the bunker on 18 His opponents, Pactolerin and Lascuña played steady golf to finish tied for the lead at 5-under par... Read More

Juvic Pagunsan guns for number four Juvic Pagunsan is set to win his fourth Philippine Golf Tour event of the year as he heads into the final day of the ICTSI Negros Occidental Championship with a one stroke lead over Tony Lascuña. No surprise there. After all Juvic is expected to win here in his home town of Bacolod City and Lascuña’s steady game suits the tight, tree-lined fairways of Marapara to a “T”. The big news is how Juvic got the lead. Can Tony Lascuña break through at Marapara? Playing in the morning session, Lascuña continued his steady play with another 3-under par round of 67 to take the lead in the clubhouse before Juvic had a chance to tee off. Pagunsan started... Read More

The 14th at Marapara The Philippine Golf Tour is making its first trip to Negros Occidental this week as it visits the lush, tree-lined fairways of the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club otherwise known as Marapara to golfers all over these islands. A lull in the Asian and Asean Tour schedules guaranteed a strong field this week and the top of the leaderboard shows it. Bacolod City's favorite son; Juvic Pagunsan Bacolod City’s favorite son, Juvic Pagunsan showed the way around Marapara with a smooth 4-under par 66 and continues to rule the roost in the Philippine Golf Tour. He was tied at various points by veteran Tony Lascuña and Rufino Bayron but both lost a stroke or two to par... Read More