BAGUIO CITY—Former junior star Kat Gonzales carded an eagle-aided 54 points under the Modified Stableford scoring to put in motion Manila Southwoods-Masters’ title-retention bid in Group I of the fifth Camp John Hay (CJH) Asian Ladies Team Championship on Tuesday at the Camp John Hay Golf Club course.

Gonzales’s drive overshot the 249-yard, par-four eighth hole but still completed the eagle when her chip from the back fringe rolled in. She also birdied the third and 12th holes to offset her three bogeys and a double bogey mishap on the par-three No. 4.

Her 54, an equivalent to an even-par 69 at the undulating Jack Nicklaus layout, raised Southwoods-Masters’ team total to 140.  Claudine Garcia earlier turned in 46 points while the 40 of either Claire Ong or Beachie Abiera added for the day in the four-to-play, three-to count format.

Although the Cavite-based Southwoods-Masters, the winners in 2006 before the Asian Ladies took a break last year, found itself in familiar territory at the top, Orchard-Palmer matched the defending champion’s 140-point output thanks to Princess Superal’s 50, Sarah Cruz’s 46 and Crystal Superal’s 44.

Aguinaldo Hyper-X was third with 138 points followed by Forest Hills (131) and Valley Golf South (122).

In Group II, Camp John Hay Team I stressed its familiarity of the course as it showed the way with 123 points.  Lilibeth Ratcliffe carded a 48, Leonor Corpuz contributed 39 and Cha Daciano added 36.  Silva Tsuchiya’s 19 did not count.

Just one point behind John Hay was Tagaytay Highlands which pooled in 122, built around the 42s of Marilen Yaptangco and Totelle Dimson and the 38 of Hedy See.

Koreans Le Bong-Seouk (44), Kwon Hyun-Sook (41) and Shin Kyoung-Ja combined for 120 points for Korea Team I to grab a 16-point spread over Camp John Hay Team II’s 104 in Group III.

Valley Executive produced 91 points to take control of the Group IV division in the 54-hole competition organized by Camp John Hay and sponsored by Wilson, Sitel, Golforce Inc., Asia Pacific Golf Corp, Le Chef, CJH Manor, Kork and Starbucks.

Lakers vs. Utah or Kobe vs. back spasms

UTAH’S back. Kobe Bryant says he will be, too.

A series is now a series, which meant all eyes turned to the newest Most Valuable Player as he took it easy on Monday, resting his back in lieu of risking further flare-ups of the kind that floored him a couple of times in Game Four.

Hapee needs a healthy Jervy

BAGUIO CITY—Hapee Toothpaste head coach Louie Alas knows that if his wants his team to win the 2008 Philippine Basketball League (PBL) Lipovitan Amino Sports title, he would need a healthy Jervy Cruz.

TUNE-UP games against Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) teams are one of the plans for the RP-Nokia Youth Team as it prepares for the Fiba-Asia Youth Championship in Tehran from August 28 to September 5.

Red Bull and Coca-Cola are looking pretty good.

The coleaders hope to keep the pressure on their closest pursuers as they wrap up their elimination-round campaign in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA)-Smart Fiesta Cup.

Lyceum struggled against a surprisingly tough St. Benilde side but pulled off a 25-22, 25-19, 31-29 victory just the same to assure itself of a playoff for the last semifinal berth in the Shakey’s V-League Season 5 at The Arena in San Juan Tuesday.

BAGUIO CITY—Former junior star Kat Gonzales carded an eagle-aided 54 points under the Modified Stableford scoring to put in motion Manila Southwoods-Masters’ title-retention bid in Group I of the fifth Camp John Hay (CJH) Asian Ladies Team Championship on Tuesday at the Camp John Hay Golf Club course.

SCHOOL season is just a few weeks away, and I’ve been asked so many times by concerned parents on which school to choose for their athlete-sons or daughters.