With an aching back that he got from surgical treatment years ago, Wabol teed up with 100 men and 60 women through the 36 holes in five days at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club.
Only the golfers with handicap index of nine and below were accepted in the men’s division and handicap index of 12 in women’s group.
Wabol did not make it in the qualifying round, tying with Luciano Quiatchon of ICTSI with a total of 161 net.
Single handicap Wabol fired 36 in the front and in the back nines respectively during the first round and went at par 36 in the front nine and drove in 43 in the back nines in the second round that was held the next day.
Ferdie Aunzo of ICTSI topped the score statistics of the tournament with a total net of 141 in two days. He went at par 36 in the front and fired 1 over par 37 in the back during the first round, and birdied firing 33 and 35 in the front and back nines respectively.
Jessie Balasabas tied with a total net of 141, as he fired 34 in the front and went 1 over par 37 in the back in the second round and fired 34 and 35 in the front and back nines respectively.
Wabol said he plans return to the Philippines to join the same tournament next year, with realization that it is a better challenge to play with people you have yet to know.
“Here on Saipan, I already know my competitors. And the reason I wanted to go is to see whom I have yet to play with,” he said.
Wabol was doing great in front nines but “the back nines was killing me.”
His fairway shots were considerably good as he tried to hit the draw but the fairway was lined with trees.
So he bogeyed in the back nines, and hardly went 1 par.
Even though it was not a good ending for him, at least he tried his best and accepted the challenge of getting through, he said. He said just have to go back as there’s a lot of thing he needs to work on.
“You’ll never know who you are until the challenges are there,” he added.
Wabol also played in the Fil-American team competition in Baguio back in 1992.
