The Duel 2019: North repeats vs South, ties Duel series
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Members of Team North soak in victory after a dominant closeout of its South rivals
Unfazed by their rivals’ edge in depth, led by three top guns who swept the last four legs of this year’s Philippine Golf Tour, the Northerners relied on their big fighting heart and resolve, taking five of the first seven matches while squaring off in one to all but rule their sixth face-off in the country’s version of the Ryder Cup, 14 1/2-9 1/2.
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Members of Team North, led by coach Cookie La’O (kneeling, second from right) flash the No. 3 sign after completing their back-to-back title romp in The Duel and leveling their series with Team South at three wins apiece.
“It’s a question of making the right match-ups and they did well,” said North coach Cookie La’O, whose wards also beat Team South by three at John Hay in 2017. “It’s a job well done.”
It was, indeed, as each winning member received P80,000 plus trophies and medals from organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. executive director Narlene Soriano and Sta. Elena’s Rico Tantoco during awards rites. The South members took P40,000 each.
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Members of Team North hoist their huge trophy after beating Team South for the second straight time to level their Duel series with Team South at three wins apiece.
South ruled the inaugurals in 2012 in Alabang but North struck back in 2013, also at the Muntinlupa layout, before South won the next two editions in Cebu and Wack Wack.
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Members of Team North hoist their huge trophy after beating Team South for the second straight time to level their Duel series with Team South at three wins apiece.
After Mars Pucay held Tony Lascuña, who won the Apo and South Pacific legs last month, to an all-square game in the second pairing, former PGT Asia leg winner Justin Quiban wore down Rufino Bayron, 2&1, to give the defending champions a one-point cushion as South’s Albin Engino dominated last year’s PGT Order of Merit winner Jobim Carlos to fashion out a runaway 5&4 triumph in their side of the match-up.
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Humbled in the last two editions, members of Team South vow to strike back when the seventh Duel is staged in 2021
North, however, proved far from being finished as Eric Gallardo upended former PGT Asia leg titlist Rene Menor, 1-up, Jun Bernis upstaged fancied Jay Bayron via the same scoreline and Joenard Rates held on to foil PGT Pueblo leg winner Reymon Jaraula, 1-up.
Zanieboy Gialon and Jerson Balasabas provided the two other wins for South with the former blasting Fidel Concepcion, 6&5, and the latter thwarting Gerald Rosales, 1-up.