Fernando-led team rules Sherwoods' pro-am event

TRECE MARTIREZ, Cavite—Exactly one day after typhoon Pedring showed its might, the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour pushed through with the P1-million Sherwood Classic pro-am tournament with the team of Mhark Fernando and amateurs Alex Santos, Rodel Mangulabnan and Luis Oh bagging the title on a windy and rainy day at the Sherwood Hills Golf Club. Fernando and his crew combined for an 18-under-par 54 in the event which served as the kickoff tournament of the Sherwood Classic. Cassius Casas and partners Rufino Bomasan, Ver Bucat and Ogie Caja pooled in a 59 for a runner-up finish while Artemio Murakami teamed up with Mori Mendoza, Pong and his wife Lia Manuel also made a 59 but was second runner-up losing by count-back. The dusky Fernando is actually chasing his second ICTSI PGT crown. He’ll be teeing off at 6:40 a.m. on Thursday in the company of Jerson Balasabas and Al Cruz. If Thursday becomes a duplicate of Wednesday’s weather, an under-par score might be a bit of an improbability considering also the toughness of the Jack Nicklaus signature course. "I can’t say for now on how I will fare Thursday. It’s always difficult to play Sherwood Hills. And with the winds and rains coming to fore, it will be doubly harder," Fernando said in Filipino. Some of the Asian Tour campaigners are back in the hunt for the P200,000 top prize. Among them are Elmer Salvador, Artemio Murakami and Antonio Lascuna, who recently played in various Asian Tour tournaments in Singapore and Macau. Salvador, who pocketed P2.1-million on a runner-up finish in the Singapore Classic, will be a player to watch this week. “I hope to bring the same kind of game I dished out in Singapore," he said. "It was my first year on the Asian Tour and I was happy with the Singapore experience," said the 39-year-old Salvador, who is in search of a maiden win this year in the ICTSI-PGT circuit. Likewise tipped to fight it out are ICTSI Riviera Classic winner Jhonel Ababa and current PGT Order of Merit second placer Jay Bayron. — Adrian Flores/JVP, GMA News