Two first time champs looming for NTCC

Jun Arceo hopes the stars align for him on Sunday. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

The National Tournament of Club Champions powered by Lexus will see first time men’s and seniors titlists on Sunday when Jules Gaerlan also tries to unseat the single most dominant force in her division at Eagle Ridge.

Jonar Austria and Davao’s Chris Tan will dispute the centerpiece title after carving out contrasting semifinal victories at the Aoki layout, even as Kyung Young-jung and Jun Arceo sealed a match up for the Senior’s diadem after close victories over dogged rivals on another humid day.

And then there is Gaerlan, who bundled out Jonah Ilagan in the Final Four, 3&2, to set up a titular clash with Matet Salivio, the most decorated women’s player here with three titles who is seeking to win for the second straight year.

The favorites, save for Salivio, bombed out on a busy day as Gary Sales, who was seeking a fourth men’s title, got the boot from Chucho Martinez, 1-up, before Rodel Mangulabnan, the prohibitive Senior’s pick, left the tournament after taking a 19th hole loss to Kyung.

“This has become very interesting,” Arceo, who got to the finals after a 2&1 win over Manuel Santos, told the Inquirer after going this deep in his rookie stint. “I haven’t played [a] match with (Kyung), but all I know [is] that he is very good because I have seen him play in the Interclub.”

Arceo has also played for several clubs in the PAL Interclub before, but admits that the individual nature of this tournament is something that excites him.

“It’s hard to win golf tournaments,” the 57 year old Arceo, who regularly plays with his two sons at The Orchard every Sunday, went on. “It’s difficult to have the stars align for you too often.

“And in terms of winning a tournament of this magnitude, this is big.”

The tournament takes a much needed breather on Saturday before the three title matches are played at the Faldo layout on Sunday.

A prominent campaigner in national tournaments, Austria then took Martinez out with relative ease, 5&4, before Tan, who is bidding to become the first bet from Mindanao to win the event, scored a 1-up win over top seed Roy Nudalo.

Salivio scored a 3&2 win over Marianne Bustos in the morning to advance opposite Marianna Reyes in the semifinals. The seasoned Salivio then bundled out the young Reyes, 3&2, underscoring her readiness to win yet again against the ex-jungolfer. INQ