Sports
A7
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2016 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com
Mondilla, Asian aces clash in Aboitiz golf
C
LYDE Mondilla takes crack at the top two players in the Asian Development Tour Order of Merit ranking as the rising Filipino star drew No. 1 Pavit Tangkamolprasert of Thailand and No. 2 Johannes Veerman of the US at the start of the Aboitiz Invitational unfolding Wednesday at Wack Wack’s East course.
Clyde Mondilla: My focus is on my game. I need to start strong, actually in the first two days to be able to make the cut. Then, I’ll attack.
A two-leg winner on the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour, Mondilla hopes to measure up with his fancied rivals as they slug it out at 7:30 a.m. on No. 10 with the young Del Monte shotmaker hoping to cash in on whatever advantage he has in terms of local knowledge of the challenging layout. “I don’t give it much thought,
being paired with ADT’s top two players. My focus is on my game. I need to start strong, actually in the first two days to be able to make the cut. Then, I’ll attack,” said Mondilla, who scored backto-back wins at Eastridge and Calatagan but slowed down in the next four legs of the PGT dominated by Tony Lascuña. But Tangkamolprasert, the
current ADT OOM leader who nipped local ace Lin Wen-tang on the fourth playoff hole to snare the Yeangder ADT crown last April, is out to stamp his class, along with Veerman, also a playoff winner over Taiwanese Wang Wei-lun in the Taifong Open ADT two weeks ago, as they try to press their bid early for the needed momentum in what promises to be a four-day battle of shotmaking and putting over one of the country’s toughest courses. The featured group is but three of a slew of players tipped to contend for the crown in the $100,000 event serving as the 18th leg of the ADT and 11th stage of the PGT with the chase for the top $17,500 purse put up
Suzara likes PH volley roster TALENT, height, heart and overflowing potential could be relied upon when the Philippines’ Magnificent 7 starts its campaign in the FIVB Women’s Club World Championship at the Mall of Asia Arena from Oct. 18 to 23. Philippine Superliga president Ramon Suzara said he likes the composition of the team and expects it to blend seamlessly with the seven foreign players they will tap in this prestigious tournament where the world’s best club teams will see action. After a month of deliberation, the PSL coaches, headed by training and development director Sammy Acaylar of Cignal, named wing spikers Rachel Anne Daquis and Jovelyn Gonzaga of RC Cola-Army and Frances Molina of Petron; middle blockers Mika Reyes of F2 Logistics and Jaja Santiago of Foton; setter Kim Fajardo of F2 Logistics; and libero Jen Reyes of Petron as members of the Magnificent 7. Daquis, Gonzaga, Molina and Jen Reyes are veteran international campaigners after seeing action in the Southeast Asian Games and some Asian tournaments while the 6’5” Santiago and 5’11” Mika Reyes were tapped due to their ceiling and potential to become the country’s cornerstones in future major tournaments. Fajardo is also a perfect addition as she is regarded as one of the brightest young setters in the country today. In fact, she reportedly impressed a pair of foreign coaches after leading La Salle to the UAAP title earlier this year. “These players will be our future,” said Suzara, a ranking executive of the Asian Volleyball Confederation and the International Volleyball Federation. “They are young, tall and very talented. We expect them to train hard, pick up some valuable lessons from their foreign counterparts and help our national team program in the future.” Suzara noted that the Magnificent 7 was culled from a pool of 27 players nominated by eight PSL coaches. Then, they joined a one-day tryout and were assessed based on their talent, skills and potential. “Three to five years from now and these players will be the same players who will represent us in the Asian Games in 2018 and the SEA Games in 2019 that will be held here in Manila,” Suzara added. “So exposing them to a world-class competition is a major boost to their careers. It is the PSL’s humble contribution to the national team program of the LVPI (Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas Inc.)” PSL chairman Philip Ella Juico added that more than their physical attributes, it is their character, fighting spirit and wholesome personality that make them perfect for this kind of competition.
by Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. for the sixth straight year expected to go down to the last putt on Saturday. But while the foreign cast, led by nine of the Top 10 players in the ADT OOM, looks daunting, the local roster remains as talentladen as ever with former twotime champion Elmer Salvador and former titlists Jay Bayron and Lascuña out to keep the Aboitiz crown at home. “It will be tough with the best on the ADT competing but we are ready,” said Lascuña, actually the winningest local player this year with four victories on the PGT. “What we need is a strong start and then try to sustain it since the field is too strong.”
Pactolerin lifts team to pro-am win
A MULTIPLE-EXPOSURE sequence of Kyle Hendricks of the Chicago Cubs pitching against the Miami Marlins is shown during the ninth inning on at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. The Cubs won 5-0. AFP
Lady Stags, Bulldogs duel in V-League SAN Sebastian College shoots for the solo lead as it clashes with defending champion National University Wednesday in what is tipped to be a slam-bang duel of two of the fancied teams in the Shakey’s V-League Season 13 Collegiate Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City. Spearheaded by Open Conference and NCAA MVP Grethcel Soltones’ 20-point explosion, the Lady Stags downed the Perpetual Help Lady Altas, 27-25, 25-22, 25-22, in Saturday’s opener of the league sponsored by Shakey’s to seize the early lead in Group A. Unheralded Technological Institute of the Philippines, a third placer in the NAASCU league, joined SSC at the helm after it pulled the rug from under an injury-hit Ateneo side, 26-24, 14-25, 25-21, 18-
25, 15-12, late Monday night in the second playdate of the mid-season conference of the league backed by Mikasa as official ball and Accel as official outfitter. Soltones will have her hands full against the Lady Bulldogs, who beat the Lady Eagles to win this championship last year and are boasting of Jaja Santiago and an emerging setter in Jasmine Nabor. “We all know NU is tough,” said the 20-year-old Soltones. “But we will go out there and give it our best and enjoy the game.” Gametime is at 6 p.m. after the 4 p.m. clash between a debuting University of Santo Tomas and San Beda College. Both matches will be aired live over ABS-CBN Sports + Channel 17 or 23 and via streaming on sports.abscbn.com, according to the
organizing Sports Vision. In the Spikers’ Turf Season 2 Collegiate Conference, powerhouse Ateneo launches it title-retention bid as it takes on San Beda at 12 noon while Perpetual Help battles newcomer Phl Merchant Marine School at 10 a.m. in a game that can be viewed live via streaming. Interestingly, both SSC and NU are coached Roger Gorayeb, who has let his assistants, Clint Malazo of the Lady Stags and Edjet Mabayyad of the Lady Bulldogs take charge temporarily while he’s on vacation. Unlike last year when it tapped Rubie de Leon and alumna Dindin Santiago-Manabat as guest players, NU decided to play with the same players it will field in the coming UAAP season set early next year. Myla Pablo, the Finals MVP last year who recently powered
Games today
(Philsports Arena, Pasig) 10 a.m. – Perpetual vs PMMS (S Turf) 12 noon – Ateneo vs San Beda (S Turf) 4 p.m. – San Beda vs UST (V-League) 6 p.m. – NU vs SSC-R (V-League)
Pocari Sweat to the Open Conference crown of the league where it all started, has also graduated, leaving Jorelle Singh, Aiko Urdas and Fil-Japanese rookie Raisa Sato as spearheads of the top UAAP squad. “This is a young team and this conference will serve as a test for everyone,” said Mabayyad, who steered NU to the Open Conference title three years ago. Meanwhile, the Tigresses, mentored by Kungfu Reyes, set out against the Red Spikers with a talented core led by sisters EJ and Eya Laure and the diminutive but talented Cherry Anne Rondina.
August races and racing festivals THE HOARSE WHISPERER JENNY ORTUOSTE THE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office kicks off the month’s big horseracing events with its PCSO National Grand Derby on Aug. 14, Sunday, at Metroturf. The mile race is open exclusively to 2YO PCSO maiden race runners of 2015. Those nominated are Dance Again, Yong Yong, Yes Kitty, Guatemala, He He He, and Total Defiance. The following Sunday, Aug. 21, will see the 8th edition of the Mayor Ramon Bagatsing Festival at San Lazaro Leisure Park, highlight by the Mayor
Ramon Bagatsing Cup Divisions I and II, and the Philracom 5th leg Imported/Local Challenge race over 2,000 meters. The Sunday after that, Aug. 28, the Philracom 1st leg Juvenile Fillies and Colts stakes will be held over 1,200 meters at Santa Ana Park. We remind interested horseowners to be aware of the schedules for the nominations and declarations for these races, as well as for next month’s Japan Racing Association Cup and the Philracom Lakambini Stakes. *** As for the sport’s other racing festivals, Klub Don Juan de Manila is preparing as early as now for their KDJM Racing Festival, usually held in
October, while the MARHO Cup Championships are traditionally held in November and Philtobo’s racing festival in December. Such big events need a lot of lead time, although the staff of each of these horseowners’ groups are used to working under pressure. It’s difficult to prepare far in advance of the event date, because for some inexplicable reason, some sponsors only decide about their participation days before the race, leaving organizers scrambling frantically to include their logos on tarps and other advertising material. Yes, I speak from experience. Organizing a racing festival is exhausting and nervewracking, but it’s all worth it
to see the pomp and pageantry on event day, and the shining smiles all around. I always want to decorate with balloons but only got to do so once, and not during a racing festival, but at Philtobo’s first awards night in 1998 (it wasn’t called Gintong Lahi yet then). Balloons are a no-no outdoors at a racing festival, because if they pop the sound might scare the horses, and the bobbing of the colored balloons might spook or distract them. Same goes for flash photography, anything that might make sudden loud noises, and blinking lights. *** Facebook: Gogirl Racing, Twitter:@gogirlracing, Instagram: @jensdecember
ROBERT Pactolerin flashed his familiarity with the Villamor Golf Club course as he and amateur partners Don Matti, Marbon Gonzales and Joel Casanova combined for 138 to rule the first President’s Invitational Pro-Am Cup at the Pasay layout recently. Juanito “Pagunsan with Jeffrey Tan, Andrea Zumuko and Inquirer Golf’s Adrian Flores placed second with a 139 while Fred Superal, SPGAP secretary, and partners Ed Yap, Barton Chua and Jovie Susano assembled a 140 to finish third in the 18-hole tournament staged by the new Senior Professional Golf Association of the Philippines (SPGAP) board. Pactolerin, a many-time Masters champion at VGC, also led the individual winners as he dominated the seniors division in the event sponsored by Eight Inc., Ka Tei Solar, Chintain Hosho and Jajeco Products. Pagunsan, father of top pro Juvic, took the super senior plum, Ricky delos Santos copped the men’s diadem, Arlene Ward ruled the ladies side while Jet Hernandez emerge as the top jungolfer in the tournament backed by GCHI International Mercantile, Rhel Gomez, Lucent Evermore Estate Dev., Dr. Evna Blazado, Tony Arevalo, Alex Prieto, Atty. Marcelo and Mr. Isip.
Stoudemire un-retires NEW YORK—Less than a week after announcing his retirement, former National Basketball Association star Amar’e Stoudemire said Monday he is continuing his career in Israel. “I may be retiring from the NBA, but I’m not saying goodbye to basketball just yet. My next step is playing for Hapoel Jerusalem, one of the top teams in Europe. This isn’t about collecting a paycheck overseas though; it’s a spiritual journey, too,” Stoudemire said. Stoudemire, 33, said at a news conference Monday in New York that he would sign a two-year deal with Hapoel Jerusalem, the team he co-owns. As part of the deal, American sports broadcaster ESPN reported he will sell his ownership shares that he purchased in 2013. AFP
LOTTO RESULTS
6/49 00-00-00-00-00-00 6/42 00-00-00-00-00-00 6 DIGITS 0-0-0-0-0-0 3 DIGITS 0-0-0 2 EZ2 0-0
P0.0 M+ P0.0 M+