Bucay has no plans of slowing down as La Salle paints fairways green

Julia Lua studies her putting line. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

La Salle seized firm control of both the men’s and women’s divisions after a dominant second-round performance in the inaugural UAAP Season 88 Golf Tournament at Tagaytay Midlands Golf Club.

After using the opening round to adjust to the challenging layout, the Green Archers and Lady Archers pulled away from the field with 36 holes remaining in the 72-hole championship.

Perry Bucay and Zach Castro continued to lead La Salle’s charge in the men’s division, carding rounds of 71 and 72, respectively, for 36-hole totals of 143 and 145.

Junior standout Martin Lu also delivered with a 74 that counted toward La Salle’s 217 output in the four-to-play, three-to-count format.

The Green Archers stretched their overnight five-stroke advantage into a commanding 26-shot lead after compiling a 440 aggregate, well ahead of University of the Philippines’ 466.

UP was paced by Joshua Buenaventura’s 75, Emilio Carpio’s 81 and Miggy Roque’s 84.

Late birdies

Buenaventura remained third in the individual standings with a 149 total, while Ateneo’s Glenn Unabia shot a 74 for 150. Carpio stood fifth with 158.

Bucay, who birdied his final two holes, said La Salle remains determined to maintain its aggressive approach despite the sizeable lead.

“We’re not going to step on the brakes,” Bucay said. “We’re trying to make a statement here, especially since it’s the first year of UAAP golf.”

The Lady Archers were equally dominant as Julia Lua surged into the lead in the women’s individual race after rebounding from an opening-round 86 with a 79.

Lua, the inaugural ICTSI Intercollegiate champion, finished with a 36-hole total of 165 highlighted by a birdie on the final hole.

Her rally enabled her to overtake Ateneo’s Monique Mendoza, who stumbled with a 91 after an opening 81 to fall to third at 172. Backed by Donnabel Magsino’s 98, La Salle posted a 258 round for a 523 aggregate, opening a 10-shot lead over Ateneo, which struggled to a 269 for 532.

“My tee shots and short game were much better than yesterday, and that really made the difference because driving is so crucial on this course,” Lua said.