Ferdinand Aunzo shot a five-under-par 67 to lead the Philippines in a gallant rally in the last day of golf competitions in the 24th Southeast Asian Games and copping the team silver in the Bonanza Ranch course in Khaoyai, Thailand.
Aunzo capped the round with a three-putt bogey after flourishing with a 6-under 33 earlier going into the last nine holes. This prevented him from snaring any individual medals as he missed a tie for the bronze by a shot.
His stellar performance led to the Philippines’ 209 aggregate for the day and an 858 total, 20 shots off the gold medal won by Thailand.
Meanwhile, the Philippine women’s golf team also settled for the silver, backed by Anya Tanpinco’s 75 which likewise gave her the individual silver. Thailand’s P. Kongkraphan won the gold after firing a 70 in the final day.
Anya Tanpinco scored a brilliant 70 on Tuesday to push the Philippine women’s golf team to the lead in both individual and team competitions in the 24th Southeast Asian Games.
Also backed by Chiniro Ikeda’s 73, the Filipinas scored a 143 aggregate leading host Thailand by two.
Meanwhile, the Philippine men’s golf team fell to fourth place after after two days of competition at the Bonanza Ranch Khaoyai. Mark Fernando’s one-under-par 71, Ferdinand Aunzo’s 72 and Anthony Fernando’s 77 dropped the team out of the top spot and fell to fourth place with a two-day aggregate of 429, seven behind leader Thailand.
Despite the debacle, non-playing captain Caloy Coscoluella told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that the competition is “far from over.” “Seven down in a team competition is not that impossible to overhaul. But we need to make a move tomorrow (Wednesday) if we are to entertain any thoughts of winning.”
Anthony Fernando fired a three-under-par 69 to propel the Philippines to a first-round lead Monday in the 24th Southeast Asian Games with a 209 total.
Jonel Ababa and Ferdinand Aunzo shot respective 70s to bolster the Philippines’ bid to defend the SEAG Gold the team won in the Manila Games in 2005.
In the first day of competitions at the Bonanza Ranch Khaoya in Thailand, the Philippine surge took the team above second placer Indonesia by one shot. Malaysia ended the day at third with a 212 aggregate.
Meanwhile, Putra Cup champion Thailand languished at fourth place with a 214 aggregate.
The Philippine men’s golf team starts its defense of the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) title Monday at the Bonanza Ranch Khaoyai in Thailand, which as a long course that the Pinoys see as “friendly.”
“It’s just a long course, but it can turn out to be a friendly one,” Mark Fernando told the Philippine Daily Inquirer after the final practice round on Sunday.
“We can hit it (off the tees) as hard as we can, because the fairways are so wide,” Fernando added. Fernando and teammate Jonel Ababa are two products of the National Caddies’ Open.
They join Ferdinand Aunzo and reigning Philippine Amateur champ Anthony Fernando in the all-rookie SEAG squad. The Manila SEAG Philippines team, composed of Juvic Pagunsan, Artemio Murakami and Jay Bayron, won the gold at The Country Club in Laguna in 2005.
By Dr. Vince Gomez
About two years ago, I posted a two-page spread of stretching exercises for golf in Swing magazine (now Golf Digest Philippines) which was very well received. Until now, many still ask me if I have copies of these exercises so that they can include them in their daily exercise regimen to stretch out their tight, tight bodies to help their golf game. Why did they like it? I have many theories, but basically most of the readers (and my patients) said that the exercises were easy to do, they could be done in the golf course, in the cart, in the snack house, locker room, living room, bedroom, or even at work (I want THAT job!). The entire set can be done in 10 to 15 minutes and most of the body is stretched out completely. If done twice a day, even better.
The exercises are divided by area and they tell you what part gets stretched. Pull or stretch your body into the position slowly and not quickly or with a bouncing motion. Hold each position for about five seconds taking a deep breath in and out. Then move back and repeat about ten times. The whole idea is that after you stretch out, you should feel that your muscles are pulled out to length and all the tightness is gone.
What is important is that you should stretch before you play. It is best to spend 10 minutes stretching before and after you play. Stretching before you play removes all the muscle knots and starts blood circulating into quiet rested muscles. Stretching after you play clears out lactic acid, which are the waste products of exercise which cause muscles to ache or be sore the next day.
Step-by-step demos of these exercises are found in the October-November issue of Golf Digest Philippines
