Sales now three-time champ and wants more

Champs all (from left) Abe Rosal, Matet Salivio and Gary Sales —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Gary Sales’ stellar golf season continued, as the Villamor champ who on Friday captured the centerpiece Men’s division title of Inquirer Golf’s National Tournament of Club Champions presented by Lexus for the third time, a record he wants protected for as long as he can.

“It wasn’t easy by any means,” the 43-year-old Sales told the Inquirer as a 4&3 end to his match with Ace Stehmeier didn’t actually reflect how tight the final bout was. “He is so tough, so smart. I thought I played a near-perfect front nine, but I just couldn’t put Ace away.

“It took my absolute best and him getting some bad breaks for me to get out of that match,” Sales said. “I’m very happy.”

Abe Rosal and Matet Salivio also celebrated victories in the Senior and Ladies divisions, respectively, with Rosal winning five holes in a six-hole stretch from No. 9 also at the Faldo layout of Eagle Ridge to take the fight out of Rodel Mangulabnan in a 5&4 rout.

Salivio, meanwhile, hammered Kyung Ae-roh, 4&3, to also become a three-time winner.

Ranked first after shooting a one-under-71 in classification, Sales, the ex-tee boy turned pro and now successful businessman operating a number of pro shops, won hole Nos. 13, 14 and 15 with birdies to finally put Stehmeier away.

“That was the only time I was able to heave a sigh of relief,” Sales, who helped build the Eastridge-Primehomes team from scratch to win the Fil title in the Baguio Fil-Am last December before leading the squad to a first PAL Interclub win last February, said.

He will be playing in the quarterfinals of the Villamor club championship in the coming days, and the NTCC victory has only fueled his desire to dominate again and be able to represent the military-operated layout again in his quest for a fourth crown.

“I won (all of my NTCC titles) representing Villamor. Doing it again would be special,” Sales, who won in 2015 and 2016, said even as he has already punched a ticket to play next year after ruling the Eagle Ridge championship this year.

Rosal, the long-time Canlubang stalwart in the Interclub who qualified as the fourth seed, played five straight days for the first time in years and was actually surprised how well he came out of it.

“I felt strong out there the last few days,” the 64-year-old grandfather said.