Ricar Candinato drew more than what he had asked for from amateur partner Zeus Sara as they produced a stirring 11-under 61 in four-ball format to zero in on the first Sambalilo Golf Pro-Am crown at the Caliraya Springs Golf Club in Cavinti, Laguna yesterday.
Sara, a 6-handicapper, churned out a brilliant nine-birdie stint as he practically steered his partnership with Candinato from two strokes down with a sustained assault on the par-72 layout.
The Davaoeño ace bogeyed the first hole which Candinato saved then went on a birdie spree on Nos. 5, 8 and 9 before stringing four straight from No. 10. He capped his exploits with back-to-back birdies from No. 16 for the team’s 31-30 output.
Counting their 63 in the scramble format Friday, the Candinato-Sara pair pooled a 20-under 124 total to eclipse erstwhile joint leaders Sean Ramos and Laurea Duque’s 125 aggregate after slowing down with 64 in best-ball after a 61.
Candinato, a pro from Eastridge where he last played in the local pro circuit many years ago, picked up a record paycheck of P100,000 while Sara will receive a trophy plus merchandise.
Ramos and Duque’s bid got stymied by a bogey on the par-3 No. 3 as they came up short by one despite a fiery windup of six birdies in the last seven holes on a pair of three-birdie feats from Nos. 12 and 16.
Arnold Villacencio and Terrence Macatangay, who matched the Ramos-Duque pair’s 61 in the first day, carded a 65 to tie two other tandems – Orlan Sumcad-Lindsey Salilig and Jay Bayron and Russel Salazar — for third at 126.
Sumcad-Salilig fired 60 while Bayron-Salazar posted a 59.
Tied on 128 were Rico Depilo-Mike Bolano and Albin Engino-Milbert Oliveros who carded identical 61s.
Engino, meanwhile, grabbed the spotlight when he aced No. 7.
Robert Pactolerin and Javi Lazatin also rallied with a 61 for a 129 and eighth place in the two-day event sponsored by the Municipality of Cavinti in conjunction with the province’s Sambalilo Festival celebrations.
Tied for ninth on 130 were Rupert Zaragosa-Precious Zaragosa (68), Zanieboy Gialon-Romeo Lopez (66), Roberto Bernis Jr. — Carlo Quimson (66), Dante Becierra-Hiromi Nakamura (67) and Marvin Dumandan-Nolan Nano (60).