Granada, Bucay conquer Midlands, Lucky 9 test to seize IIT leads

TAGAYTAY — Defending individual champion Sean Granada weathered punishing winds and scorching conditions with grit and precision, carding a 3-over 75 to grab the early lead in the men’s division, while Phoebe Bucay overcame the same difficult setup to take command of the women’s side at the second ICTSI Intercollegiate Tournament at Tagaytay Midlands on Monday.

Granada, representing College of St. Benilde-1, leaned on clutch shot-making and steady putting to tame the front side and the notoriously difficult Lucky 9 layout of Midlands, emerging as the only player to break 80 in the opening round of the four-day tournament organized by ICTSI and the Philippine Golf Foundation.

The reigning champion, who edged La Salle’s Zachary Castro in a sudden-death playoff to win the inaugural collegiate crown at Summit Point last year, opened a two-stroke cushion over La Salle-1’s Lucas Aldeguer, who carded a 77.

La Salle-1’s John Gabriel Canlas stood in third with an 80, while La Salle-2’s Jet Ang shot an 82. La Salle-1’s Arvin Ong, Ateneo-1’s Emilio Curran, and Ateneo-2’s Carl Udasco matched 83s.

Bucay, meanwhile, battled through the tough scoring conditions and scrambled for a 101 to establish a four-shot lead in the women’s division over Enderun College’s Kristyanna Herrera, who shot a 105.

La Salle-1’s Stacey Chan and St. Benilde-1’s Charlene Jagunos stayed within striking distance after a pair of 106s.

La Salle-1 likewise grabbed the upper hand in the men’s team competition under the three-to-play, two-to-count format, combining for a 157 behind Aldeguer’s 77 and Canlas’ 80, with Ong’s 83 not counting.

Granada carried St. Benilde-1 with his 75, while Nathan Lee added an 85 as the Blazers assembled a 160, three shots off the pace.

Ateneo-1 placed third with a 163 behind Udasco’s 80 and Curran’s 83.

La Salle-2 occupied fourth at 166 after Ang and Andrew Chua carded an 82 and an 84, respectively, while Ateneo-2 rounded out the top five with a 167 on Udasco’s 83 and Zachary Nicart’s 84.

In the women’s team race, La Salle-1 pooled a 207 to build a commanding 12-stroke lead over Enderun-1, which posted a 219 behind Herrera’s 105 and Daine Pillerin’s 114.

St. Benilde tallied a 220 through Jagunos’ 106 and Olivia Bermudo’s 114, while Mapua turned in a 229 after Angel Cawili and Rane Cabling shot a 112 and a 117, respectively.