Gab Macalaguim and Neil Arce combined for a six-under-par 66 at the Tagaytay Midlands to lead the best gross division of the Belle Cup 2023 Thursday.

Smarting from a first-round mishap in the 35th Mango Tee where they were given zero points for signing the wrong scorecard, Macalaguim and Arce seized a one-stroke lead over Lisandro Opulencia-Abraham Avena and Ricardo Celino.

Also finishing 5-under 65 at the Tagaytay Highlands was the pair of Pierre Paulo Carpio and Roy Nudalo.

Each team in the four-day event gets to play the Midlands and the Highlands using the best-ball format.

The best net score of the day was posted at the Midlands by Darren Flores and Ronin Leviste who chalked up 58 points.

One shot down also at Midlands were Ricardo Celino and Rudy Cabiltes.
The top five scores in each division:

MIDLANDS (par-72)
Overall team — Darren Flores-Ronin Leviste 58, Ricardo Celino-Rudy Cabiltes 59, Allan Santos-Jaime Jose Javier Jr. 60, Nilo Samia-Leopoldo Leyesa 61, Jarold Coojacinto-Jeffrey Coojacinto 62

Team gross — Gab Macalaguim-Neil Arce 66, Lisandro Opulencia-Abraham Avena 67, Ricardo Celino-Rudy Cabiltes 67, Oscar Lactao-Ronald Santos 68, Yun Chang Joong-Kwon Soon Ho 69, Darren Flores-Ronin Leviste 69

Ladies — Ma Teresa Arguelles Uy-Grace Woo 64, Theamar Dy-Joselyn Tiu 76, Neressa Villaescusa-Zenith del Prado 90, Merly delos Santos-Josie Lavinia 113

Group I — Ricardo Celino-Rudy Cabiltes 59, Daniel Baetiong-Benjamin Castaneda 63, Gab Macalaguim-Neil Arce 64, Lisandro Opulencia-Abraham Avena 65, Oscar Lactao-Ronald Santos 65, Richard Tan-Wally Barzaga 65

Group II — Darren Flores-Ronin Leviste 58, Jarold Coojacinto-Jeffrey Coojacinto 62, Kim Kwangsoo-Danny Wheeler 63, Romeo Chong-Raul Paras 64, Richard Lau-Ed Custodio 64

Group III — Allan Santos-Jaime Jose Javier 60, Nilo Samia-Leopoldo Leyesa 61, Danilo Sebastian Reyes-Jose Gerard Villacarlos 63, Noel Pablito Gregore-Chavez Ariel 65, Henry Ongchan-Raul Ilagan 66

HIGHLANDS (par-70)
Overall team — Inigo Colingay-Rolando Rabutin 60, Manuel Santos-Norman Patrick Santos 60, Joseph Renato Nubla-Alfred Chua 60, Ronnie Guico-Manolo Buri 61, Jaime Inigo-Bonifacio Pimentel 61, Anthony Crisologo-Valerie Jules Eugenio 61, Lee Sung Il-Park Geun Bae 61

Team gross — Pierre Paul Carpio-Roy Nudalo 65, Carlos Jimenez-Raffy Mapua 66, Jean Marc Lagoutte-Wayne Deveton Kennedy 66, Dominique Barandiaran-Ryan Monsalve 67, Lee Kuk Nam-Kim Yong Eon 67, Oliver Gan-Vince Hizon 67

Ladies — Choi Myeonghee-Eden Chipman 63, Cathy Borja-Gabby Borja 66, Arlette Raquino-Ma. Victoria Herrera 73, Noelle Clarisse Santos-May Ann Dalumpines 75, Irene Enriquez-Lee Heredia 80, Elizabeth Mueller-Rachel Devedia 80

Group I — Ronnie Guico-Manolo Buri 61, Oliver Gan-Vince Hizon 62, Carlos Jimenez-Raffy Mapua 63, Jean Marc Lagoutte-Wayne Doveton 63, Lee Kuk Nam-Kim Yong Eon 64, Ernilito Chan-Rolando delos Santos 64, Roman Fornelesa-Elmer Chua 64

Group II — Manuel Santos-Norman Patrick Santos 60, Inigo Golingay-Rolando Rabutin 60, Jaime Inigo-Bonifacio Pimentel 61, Anthony Crisologo-Valerie Jules Eugenio 61, Francisco del Rosario-Joselito Yujuico 65

Group III — Joseph Renato Nubla-Alfred Chua 60, Lee Sung Il-Park Geun Bae 61, Kyle Lucas Raquino-Kristian Rhoss Herrera 62, Vergel Garcia-Ranillo Salenga 64, Rene Mueller-Arturo Devedia 64, Wilson Ng-Santiago Duenas 64.