FILIPINO tennis sensation Alexandra “Alex” Eala slipped one spot to No. 19 in the latest Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) official rankings on Monday. Dropping from a career-high rank No. 18, Eala sports 2,241 points with her new spot in the leaderboard. Belgian Elise Mertens leaping from No. 19 to 14 with 2,540 points caused Eala’s slight descent. Eala first achieved the No. 18 rank which is also the highest among Southeast Asians in WTA Tour history on Aug. 24. The 21-year-old eclipsed former Southeast Asian stars in Indonesian Yayuk Basuki and Thai Tamarine Tanasugarn who both peaked at No. 19. Basuki reached No. 19 in October 1997 while Tanasugarn matched it in May 2002. Eala reached the No. 18 rank after a fourth-round finish at the Canadian Open and a third-round campaign at the Cincinnati Open. Elena Rybakina (9,696) stayed at the top of the WTA leaderboard followed by Aryna Sabalenka (7,550) and new No. 3 Mirra Andreeva (6,371). Andreeva elevated from No. 5 to No. 3 after a runner-up finish at the China Open. Jessica Pegula (6,225) and Coco Gauff (5,974) rounded out the top five. Meanwhile, Eala was set to start her singles campaign at the 1000 Wuhan Open on Monday evening. Eala was to face Chinese qualifier and world No. 217 Han Shi around 9 p.m. Eala will also see action in doubles with close pal Zeynep Sönmez. The Filipino-Turkish tandem will clash against the Ukrainian duo of Anhelina Kalinina and Dayana Yastremska in the first round likely on Tuesday. Eala and Sönmez last teamed up at the Madrid Open last May in Spain where they made a second-round finish.

THE PLDT High Speed Hitters and the Nxled Chameleons begin their campaign in the 2027 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference-Siklab Series on Tuesday at the Araneta Coliseum. PLDT and Nxled clash for their first win at 6 p.m., after the match of Farm Fresh and Galeries at 1 p.m., and Spikers’ Turf teams Criss Cross and Armed Forces’ face-off at 3:30 p.m. Both tough contenders, the High Speed Hitters and the Chameleons, aim to show their pedigree and kickstart their seven-month PVL All-Filipino campaign. The Siklab Series (first round), slated from Oct. 10 to Dec. 4, is a single round-robin with a mandatory “all-to-play” rule requiring every declared player to see action. The top four teams will advance to the semifinals, with the top two teams gaining a twice-to-beat advantage in a best-of-three championship. PLDT will rely on fiery hitter Savi Davison, together with Kianna Dy and Mika Reyes, in facing the forces of three-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) Brooke Van Sickle, Jonah Escamillan, and EJ Cariño. Nxled came off a strong Invitational Conference, finishing silver, despite Van Sickle being sidelined, while PLDT finished bronze in the same conference. The High Speed Hitters were the PVL On Tour and Invitational Conference champions in 2025, keeping the same core of players, while Nxled is laden with former Petro Gazz players, which earned the 2025 All-Filipino Conference crown. In PVL’s 10th anniversary, two women’s games sandwiched a Spikers’ Turf match with tough team Criss Cross facing the Armed Forces. This is the first time that PVL and Spikers’ Turf share the same schedule. To open the triple-header day, the Farm Fresh Foxies, led by Trisha Tubu and Ces Molina, look to overpower the Galeries with Camilla Lamina and Aiza Maizo-Pontillas. The top four teams at the end of the round will advance to the semifinals, acquiring a twice-to-beat advantage, for the best-of-three championship. The second round is slated from January to March with the same structure but without the all-play requirement, allowing coaches full lineup flexibility. And for the final round (April to May), points from the first two series determine seedings for a stepladder-style finale that crowns the first-ever Philippine Grand Champion.

WASHINGTON — Cleveland’s quest to end the longest active title drought in Major League Baseball (MLB) continues against a Tampa Bay squad seeking the first crown in its 29-year history. The Guardians, who have not won the World Series since 1948, visit Tampa Bay for Monday’s opener in the best-of-seven American League (AL) Championship Series after eliminating the Chicago White Sox on Saturday. The Guardians, who changed their nickname from Indians after the 2021 campaign, rallied to win the last three games to advance. “The mindset is always the same regardless of the outcome. That’s baseball,” Guardians slugger Jose Ramirez said. “You have to always find a way how to win, and that’s what this group has done, find the ways to win. “And for us it’s going to continue to be the same — find ways to win and how we can go to the next round.” Cleveland last reached the World Series in 2016, when the Chicago Cubs won a dramatic seventh game to snap their 108-year title drought, the longest in North American sports history. Cleveland also lost to the then-Florida Marlins in seven games in the 1997 World Series. The Rays, who swept the New York Yankees in the second round, had the AL’s best record this season at 98-64 while the Guardians went 85-77. Tampa Bay went 5-1 against Cleveland in the regular season, outscoring the Guardians, 20-8. The Rays took two of three in April in Cleveland then swept a home series in late July, but three of the six games were decided by a single run. “As far as the Guardians go, it feels like it’s kind of like a Yankees series where they’re always tight ballgames,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “Very well-played. Very well-pitched. Big, timely hits.” Rays outfielder Ryan Vilade, who batted.245 with 11 home runs and 43 runs batted in this season, smacked his first playoff homer against the Yankees and said Tampa Bay’s supportive team spirit has been a key to this year’s success. “This team, this group, we’re close. We cheer one another on very hard,” Vilade said. “We play for one another and I think that’s what makes it special.” “We’re a bunch of dogs. We’re going to go out there. We don’t care who’s on the other side. We’re going to go out and compete and do our thing and be ourselves and not try to do too much.” The AL champion will face the National League champion, either the Milwaukee Brewers or defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers, in the World Series starting Oct. 23.

LIVERPOOL — Manchester City shrugged off the threat of huge sanctions to beat 10-man Liverpool, 3-0, in their first game since being found guilty on more than 100 charges of breaking Premier League financial rules. Second-half goals from Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki extended City’s flawless start under Enzo Maresca after Ryan Gravenberch had been sent off for two yellow cards. City reestablished their three-point lead at the top of the table, but the future of any title challenge rests on the outcome of the club’s appeal against widespread financial impropriety. “We need to learn how to deal with the outside noise, but make our own noise, which is to win games,” said Maresca. “Our fans were singing at the end, so the noise was from us.” An independent commission found City and their Emirati owners arranged “sham” deals to artificially inflate revenues and reduce costs by more than £900 million ($1.2 billion) between 2009 and 2018. No sanction has yet been handed down, but a severe points deduction or even expulsion from the English top flight are on the table unless City overturn the decision. There has even been speculation there could be retrospective action to strip titles. “The uncertainty is not good for anyone,” said Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola. The multiple breaches of Premier League laws came during a period in which City won three titles and a clutch of other trophies. City’s rivals believe, however, that the illegal spending during that period also built the foundations for a golden era under former boss Pep Guardiola, who left at the end of last season. Liverpool were one of the clubs most affected, having finished second to City three times in the past 12 years. “City have fundamentally cheated to win those leagues,” Jamie Gallaghie, a 48-year-old teacher, told Agence France-Presse (AFP). The visitors arrived under the protection of a police escort with a hostile Anfield welcome expected, but there was no repeat of the violent scenes when their team bus was pelted by bottles ahead of a Champions League clash in 2018. Generation of supporters cheated Liverpool fans lined the streets to greet the City players with chants of “cheats” and “going down,” while merchandise stalls were littered with flags and scarves mocking their rivals’ financial scandal. In the iconic Kop end behind one goal a banner read “a generation of supporters cheated.” The battles between Guardiola’s City and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in recent years became the Premier League’s marquee event. But with the eyes of the world watching, Liverpool failed to rise to the occasion on the field. New Liverpool boss Iraola’s options were blunted without the injured Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo as the Spaniard suffered his first defeat since taking charge of the Reds. An Abu Dhabi-backed takeover in 2008 transformed City from mid-table mediocrity into the dominant force of the English game. City’s economic might was on full show and helped turn the game as Maresca could introduce Doku off the bench early in the second half. Within minutes the Belgian winger had been chopped down by Gravenberch, who was shown a harsh second booking, and Liverpool never recovered. Doku’s deflected shot was then smashed home by Haaland to break the deadlock 25 minutes from time, opening the floodgates. Three minutes later Doku curled a sensational strike into the top corner himself. Cherki then exchanged a slick one-two with Josko Gvardiol before slotting under Alisson Becker to rub salt in Liverpool wounds. The defeat leaves Liverpool nine points adrift of the leaders down in ninth. AFP

YOKOHAMA, Japan — Michael Brennan won the Baycurrent Classic on Sunday for his second victory of the season and third on the PGA Tour in the last calendar year, closing with six straight pars for a 3-under 68 and a one-stroke victory over Jacob Bridgeman and Keith Mitchell. Brennan, who shared the 54-hole lead with Bridgeman and Zach Bauchou, rebounded from a bogey on the 10th hole with birdies on the next two holes before his run of pars at hilly Yokohama Country Club. One of those pars was a long bunker shot to a foot on the 16th. He finished at 16-under 268. Brennan won the Bank of Utah Championship on Oct. 26, 2025, on a sponsor exemption. The 24-year-old from Wake Forest also won the Wyndham Championship two months ago. This was only his 33rd start on tour. Bridgeman missed a 5-foot birdie putt on the 17th and closed with a 69. Mitchell played the final 10 holes in 2 over for a 68. Defending champion Xander Schauffele was one shot behind playing the 18th, drove into the trees and made double bogey for a 67 to tie for fourth. European tour MADRID — Grant Forrest got up-and-down for birdie on the reachable par-4 18th for a 2-under 70 and a one-shot victory in the Spanish Open on Sunday, earning the 33-year-old from Scotland his first trip to Augusta National for the Masters. Forrest was tied with late-charging Victor Perez of France going to the 322-yard closing hole. Both drove into rough just beyond the green, their golf balls separated by the length of their shoes. Perez chipped to 10 feet and missed. Forest’s chip ran out to just over 3 feet for the winning putt. The victory also gets Forrest into the British Open, which he has played twice previously. The closest he came to the Masters was in 2015 when he was runner-up in the British Amateur. Forrest, who finished at 14-under 270, capped off a tense finish that featured five players with a chance in the final hour. Eugenio Chacarra and Jacob Skov Olesen fell back with bogeys on the 17th. Chacarra (66) tied for second, moving him to No. 2 in the Race to Dubai. PGA Tour Champions PALM COAST, Florida — Vaughn Taylor closed with a 4-under 68 and made a 10-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole Sunday to defeat Alex Cejka in the Constellation Furyk & Friends, his first PGA Tour Champions title and his first victory anywhere in more than 10 years. AP

LONDON — San Francisco scored three touchdowns off Seattle turnovers and the unbeaten 49ers edged the reigning Super Bowl champions, 32-29, on Sunday (Monday in Manila) while Minnesota improved to 5-0 as well. Eddy Pineiro’s 44-yard field goal with 1:56 remaining gave the 49ers the final margin and San Francisco’s defense forced a turnover on downs with 47 seconds remaining to beat their C West division rival. Thirty-eight points — 21 by the Niners — scored off seven turnovers, four by Seattle, were the most in an L game since 2017. Mike Evans caught seven passes for 113 yards, including a two-yard touchdown toss from Brock Purdy after a Renardo Green interception and a crucial two-point conversion. “Toughness and heart,” Evans said. “We’ve got a locker room full of those guys. We knew it was going to be a dogfight. They’re a great team. We showed we’re a great team as well.” Fred Warner knocked lose a fumble by Emanuel Wilson that Malik Mustapha recovered one play before Christian McCaffrey ran for a San Francisco touchdown. Gracen Halton recovered a George Holani fumble in the end zone to give the 49ers a 21-13 halftime lead. Seattle’s Nehemiah Pritchett picked off Purdy to set up Sam Darnold’s 16-yard touchdown pass to Jaxson Smith-Njigba to give Seattle a 23-21 lead. Purdy flipped a seven-yard touchdown pass to Brandin Cooks and the conversion to Evans for a 29-26 49ers’ lead, only for Jason Myers to equalize from 40 yards on his fifth field goal, setting up the final drama. AFP

MANILA, Philippines -- Filipino tennis ace and world No. 19 Alex Eala suffered her worst lost of the 2026 season after falling to Chinese qualifier and world No. 217 Shi Han, 6-4, 3-6, 3-6, in the WTA 1000 Wuhan Open at the Dongfeng Voyah Center Court in China late Monday night.  Finding herself on the wrong end of another upset loss, Eala lost steam after taking a 3-2 lead in the second set as Shi won six straight games to tie at 1-1 and lead at 3-0 in the decider. Eala tried to will her way back but Shi proved steady with incredible display of shot making to win the match in 2 hours and 28 minutes. This is Eala's third loss in the last three weeks against a lower-ranked player starting with world No. 180 Tatiana Prozorova at the Singapore Open round of 16 then to No. 85 Wang Xiyu at the Asian Games semifinals.

Filipino star Alexandra Eala suffered a shock 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 first-round defeat against 217th-ranked Chinese qualifier Shi Han at the Wuhan Open on Monday, while seven-time grand slam champion Carlos Alcaraz ⁠lost ⁠7-5, 7-6 to ⁠unseeded Belgian Zizou Bergs in the Shanghai Masters. The result in Shanghai also confirmed Alexander Zverev as the ATP’s year-end world No 1. Eala, the 13th seed, missed last week’s China Open to compete in the Asian Games in Japan, where she claimed a bronze medal for...

Alex Eala absorbed yet another early exit, this time in the WTA1000 Wuhan Open after a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 loss to hometown bet Han Shi of China in the Round of 64 on Monday at the Dongfeng Voyah Center Court.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton admitted he botched a call over tires that cost him and Ferrari a second podium place at the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday. Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc were both called in on lap 39 by Ferrari under a virtual safety car caused by Lance Stroll breaking down. Leclerc took

There has been plenty of intrigue surrounding the early outside bias at Happy Valley this season, but is it simply a “self-fulfilling prophecy”, or is there a rhyme and reason to the current state of play? The early statistics suggest it is not a coincidence. We’ve had four meetings at the city circuit this season, with all the configurations of the rail being utilised, from the A track to the C+3 course, where the rail is pushed the furthest it can be from the inside. At the first three...

Almost half of women’s footballers are considering leaving the game early, with financial pressures and mental health struggles the main reasons, according to a Fifpro report highlighting the gulf between the sport’s rapid growth and conditions for most players. The 2026 Fifpro Global Employment Report “Working Conditions in Women’s Football”, billed by the global players’ union as the most extensive review of working conditions in the women’s game in a decade, interviewed 800 players worldwide...

Chris Hubilla turned in his best game of the year so far, helping Jose Rizal University overcome an early deficit to hack out an 84-74 win over Emilio Aguinaldo College in the NCAA Season 102 on Monday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre.

WUHAN, China — Zheng Qinwen withdrew from the Wuhan Open citing a shoulder injury on Monday, a day after winning her first WTA title in two years and then celebrating with a bit of karaoke for the crowd at the China Open. Olympic gold medalist Zheng and French Open champion Mirra Andreeva, who lost to

Alexandra “Alex” Eala continues her Asian swing in China as she competes in the WTA1000 Wuhan Open.

MANILA, Philippines — Jose Rizal University (JRU) cruised to its fifth straight win after taking down Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC), 84-74, in the crossover round of the NCAA Season 102 men’s basketball tournament on Monday night at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City. The JRU Heavy Bombers tallied a 6-1 win-loss record, tied with College of Saint Benilde in Group A. Chris Hubilla led the scoring for JRU with a double-double performance of 26 points, along with 12 rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Lawrence Mangubat and Sean Salvador added 15 and 11 markers, each. Jude Bagay tried to put up a fight for the Generals with 17 points, while Wilmar Oftana added 14 markers each.

NCAA Season 102 Men’s Basketball Tournament   JRU def. EAC 84-74 Chris Hubilla Player of the game #NCAASeason102

Kyrie Irving waited nearly 600 days for his return to the NBA. The Dallas Mavericks didn’t keep him waiting any longer for his welcome-back basket. Irving got a reverse layup on the game’s opening possession Sunday night, setting the tone for him scoring a team-high 17 points in the Mavericks’ 132-115 preseason win over the

Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli said he was allowing himself to dream about a historic ⁠world title, which is within reach ⁠at the next race in Austin, Texas, after the ⁠20-year-old sealed his 14th podium finish of the season at Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix. The title would make Antonelli Formula 1’s youngest-ever champion and Italy’s first since 1953. Antonelli’s third place in a Singapore GP that was controlled from start to finish by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was scrappy, as he flirted with a...

Reinhard Jumamoy"s clutch heroics and Kacey Dela Rosa"s back-to-back double-doubles earned them the UAAP Season 89 Collegiate Press Corps Players of the Week honors for October 8-12, 2026.

Alexandra “Alex” Eala continues her Asian swing in China as she competes in the WTA1000 Wuhan Open.

Mapua University weathered Colegio de San Juan de Letran's comeback bid after surrendering a 15-point lead before grinding out a 69-67 overtime victory in NCAA Season 102 on Monday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre.

MANILA, Philippines — Mapua University refused to back down from the fight and outlasted Colegio de San Juan de Letran in overtime to notch its fourth consecutive victory, 69-67, in the  NCAA Season 102 men’s basketball tournament on Monday afternoon, Oct. 12, at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City. Mapua held a 53-38 advantage with 4:23 left in the third, but Letran’s Chad Gammad hit back-to-back threes, and Nathaniel Montecillo added another to make it 53-46. Justine Cargo and Kevin Santos closed the gap further as the period ended 53-50. Gammad tied it at 53-all with another triple to open the fourth, but Jamal Diaz answered with a two-pointer and free throw for a 56-53 Cardinals lead. After Yam Concepcion and Santos traded buckets, Cargo’s layup put the Knights ahead 59-58. Justine Hugo made it 61-58 with 56.2 seconds left, but Lazarte’s and-1 forced overtime at 61-all. The Cardinals took control in overtime with Marcus Nitura and Lance Nitura chipping in their forces, ending the regulation with a 69-67 victory. Yam Concepcion, Lance Nitura, Marc Cuenco, Marcus Nitura, Jamal Diaz, and Ivan Lazarte all scored identically with 11 points. Letran was led by Chad Gammad, who made 18 markers. Mapua and Letran both have a 4-3 win-loss record in the tournament.

NCAA Season 102 Men’s Basketball Tournament     Mapua def. Letran 69-67  Lance Nitura  Player of the game #NCAASeason102

MANILA, Philippines – Yvon Bisera turned a shaky start into an impressive surge, unleashing a blistering back-nine charge capped by three straight birdies from No. 15 to shoot a four-under 68 and seize a commanding four-shot lead in the ICTSI Pueblo de Oro Championship on Monday. After stumbling with bogeys on Nos. 2 and 5 while struggling to find her touch with the irons, the Davaoeña ace regrouped in impressive fashion, stringing together six birdies to emerge from the opening round with a big cushion in the 54-hole, P1.25-million championship at Pueblo de Oro Golf and Country Club here. Her scorching finish proved a stark contrast to the struggles of her rivals, many of whom faltered under the punishing heat and the course’s demanding layout. Reigning Ladies Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit champion Sarah Ababa emerged as Bisera’s closest pursuer with a 72, but even she could not escape the day’s challenges, mixing three birdies with three bogeys to settle four strokes behind. Tiffany Lee and Velinda Castil carded 73s, while Martina Miñoza and Daniella Uy stumbled to 74s. Princess Superal and amateur sister Ace Superal turned in 76s, while Rev Alcantara and Angela Mangana limped home with 77s as the heat and the course took their toll on the early contenders. Bisera, however, refused to let her early miscues dictate her round. Despite a late start under sweltering conditions, she steadied herself with birdies on Nos. 7 and 9 before taking charge on the back nine, where four more birdies transformed a tentative start into a commanding performance. Reflecting on the contrasting fortunes of her opening nine, Bisera said her driving remained solid even as her iron play let her down on two early holes. “My driving was good, but my irons weren’t sharp on the front nine, and I missed two greens,” said Bisera in Filipino, who nevertheless managed to recover before the turn and put herself in position for a decisive back-nine assault. The late start also meant playing through the day’s intense heat, making her recovery all the more impressive. Bisera said conditions became more manageable as the round progressed. “It was extremely hot when we started late, but the temperature eased a little on the back nine,” she said. Bisera began to find her rhythm on the par-5 seventh, then capitalized on a solid approach from 95 yards to set up a tap-in birdie on No. 9. From there, she took control, capping her charge with three consecutive birdies from No. 15 and leaving herself virtually unscathed over her final 13 holes. The 68 further bolstered the confidence of the two-time winner this year, who triumphed in a playoff at Lakewood and scored a runaway victory at Pradera Verde before placing ninth in a recent Taiwan LPGA tournament co-sanctioned by the LPGT. Coming off that international campaign, Bisera said the experience had strengthened her belief in her game and helped her carry positive momentum into the LPGT stop, which has returned to Pueblo de Oro after a lengthy absence. “My confidence is high after the way I played in Taiwan,” said Bisera, who also expressed her appreciation for the course’s playing conditions, particularly its greens. Bisera praised the layout but noted that its long par-3s and demanding finishing hole would require precision throughout the tournament. “The course is in good shape, and the greens are nice, although the par-3s are quite long,” she said. “The 18th is also one of the toughest holes because trouble is waiting almost everywhere, especially around the green.” Despite her imposing first-round advantage, Bisera knows that maintaining her form will be crucial as she pursues another victory and strengthens her bid for a maiden LPGT Order of Merit crown. “I need to be sharper with my driving and irons, and I have to keep putting well,” she said. Her rivals, meanwhile, face the challenge of mounting a strong comeback while hoping Bisera loses some of the momentum that carried her to the top of the leaderboard. Gretchen Villacencio briefly seized control after turning in a two-under backside 35, taking advantage of the early struggles of the fancied contenders in the heat. But her charge fizzled on the way home as she limped to a front-nine 43 to finish with a 78, ending the day in a share of 11th with Monica Mandario and amateur Isabella Tabanas. TMT

After three switches, TNT is finally activating its resident import in Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.

MANILA, Philippines–Alex Eala faces Chinese qualifier Shi Han to begin her campaign in the Wuhan Open round of 64 in China. The match is scheduled Monday night, tentatively set at 8:40 p.m. at Dongfeng-Voyah Center Court. Eala is seeded 13th in the WTA 1000 hardcourt tournament, which marks her return on tour after an early

Freshly crowned China Open champion Zheng Qinwen withdrew on Monday from her home tournament in Wuhan, citing fatigue and a right shoulder injury. Zheng became the first Chinese player to clinch the Beijing title on Sunday by defeating reigning Roland Garros champion Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-4 in the final. It was Zheng’s first WTA 1000-level triumph and her first title since winning Tokyo two years ago. “I’m very sorry to share that I will be withdrawing from this year’s Wuhan Open,” Zheng said in...

MANILA, Philippines — Import Jordan Murphy’s first-ever "Manila Clasico" experience didn’t go as planned on Sunday night. Just two games into his PBA stint, the American reinforcement struggled against Magnolia’s physical defense as Barangay Ginebra suffered a 112-93 beating in their second face-off in the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup at the Araneta Coliseum. “Yeah, they’re physical, [and] they scout well and they are well-coached,” Murphy said in a post-game chat with sportswriters. The Puerto Rican forward got off to a hot start, scoring 11 points early on, though the Hotshots still managed to erect an early 34-19 lead. Magnolia subsequently tightened its defense, holding the former Minnesota Gopher to just seven points the rest of the way as the LA Tenorio-coached squad secured its sixth win in nine starts to lock up a playoff spot. The victory also marked the Hotshots' second straight win against the Gin Kings this conference. “They followed their game plan to the T, and you can tell,” Murphy noted. “If you take one thing away from them, they have four other options.” Despite the disappointing loss, the 29-year-old Ginebra import considered it an honor to take part in the league's most storied basketball rivalry. “I feel great. It’s an honor to be here, to be part of this rivalry right now. Obviously, we didn’t perform the way we really wanted to, but it’s an honor to be here and to be able to play in a game like that,” said the replacement import, who came in to take the spot of Riley Grigsby. “They told me that there will be a lot of people here and that people are interested in it,” he added. “But you kind of get the general feeling of how much energy was in the arena there in the game. No matter what the score, you got people yelling and cheering, no matter what. It was good to see.” Following the defeat, the Gin Kings—who were previously coming off a 128-111 demolition of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters—dropped to a 3-5 record, leaving them on the brink of playoff elimination. Ginebra now faces a must-win situation in its final two elimination games against Phoenix on October 18 and Blackwater on October 23.

MANILA, Philippines – Russell Bautista weathered the sweltering heat, shifting winds and a talent-laden field to wrest solo control with a five-under 67 in Monday’s opening round of the ICTSI Pueblo de Oro Championship, capping a blistering front-nine finish with a spectacular eagle. The 26-year-old Bukidnon native, now based in Cebu, delivered the defining shot of the day on the par-4 eighth, where his 60-degree wedge from 90 yards took one bounce on the green before rolling into the cup for eagle. The highlight capped a three-under closing burst across his last five holes, highlighted by birdies on Nos. 5 and 7, and lifted him clear of a leaderboard that had been in constant flux under sweltering conditions. “Maganda ang drive, may mga na-missed na fairways pero nakaka-save-par kasi okay ang bakal at putting,” said Bautista, who admitted he was surprised to find himself atop a star-studded field after a round that demanded precision, sound decision-making and a steady touch around the greens. His 67 was all the more encouraging after a difficult run this season, when he managed no better than a top-10 finish in the first seven legs of the circuit. Bautista is also seeking redemption after a painful near-miss at South Pacific last year, where he battled Jeffren Lumbo through a dramatic five-hole playoff before settling for the best finish of his three-year professional career. “Medyo nag-struggle,” Bautista said of his recent form, but Monday’s performance offered a timely boost as he pursues a breakthrough victory against a field hungry for a title. Still, the challenge ahead is considerable. Pueblo de Oro’s championship-ready layout once again demanded respect, with its tricky pin placements, sleek and sloping greens, and second shots that left little room for error. The combination of intense heat and increasingly blustery winds forced players to constantly reassess club selection and course management, making a low score a test of patience as much as ball-striking. “Mahirap ang course, lalo na ang pin placements, first day pa lang mahirap na,” said Bautista, who birdied Nos. 11 and 15 from inside six feet but gave back a stroke after missing the green on the par-5 17th. He recovered quickly, however, setting up the late surge at the front. Lumbo, meanwhile, mounted a timely charge of his own, birdying the difficult 18th to card a 68 and tie Clyde Mondilla for second, just one stroke behind Bautista. Mondilla had a chance to draw level with the leader but dropped a shot on No. 8. Coming off back-to-back runner-up finishes in Negros Occidental and Iloilo, Lumbo continued his pursuit of a long-awaited second career victory with four birdies against two bogeys at the front. He added birdies on Nos. 12 and 15 before recovering from a bogey on No. 17 with his closing-hole birdie. “Maganda ang, lalo na sa wedge at putting, kaya naka-four-under,” said Lumbo, who credited his short game for keeping him in contention. “Maganda ang fairways at greens, kaya naka-score.” The course’s demanding setup made that precision particularly valuable. While the fairways and greens drew praise for their condition, the challenging pin positions and subtle contours punished imprecise approaches, leaving players little margin for error even when they found the putting surface. The multi-titled Mondilla, chasing his first title of the year, also showed the scoring potential of the layout when played well. He opened with three birdies against a bogey on the back nine, then produced five more birdies on Nos. 1, 3, 4, 6 and 7. Three bogeys on Nos. 2, 5 and 8, however, kept him from matching Bautista’s pace despite an eight-birdie, four-bogey round. “Ok naman ang laro, may mga konting mali lang, pero mahirap kasi ang kondisyon and hindi madali mag-second shot dito,” said Mondilla. “But making eight birdies is good. Sobrang init sa first nine, pero na-handle ko naman.” Mondilla likewise welcomed Pueblo de Oro’s return to the Pilipinas Golf Tour calendar, praising the course while underscoring the penalty for errant approaches. “Maganda ang course, lalo na ang green, and we’re thankful Pueblo is hosting a PGT again,” he said, adding that a poor second shot could put a player in danger of bogey on virtually any hole. Jelbert Gamolo, one of the day’s early pacesetters, joined Keanu Jahns, Rupert Zaragosa and Reymon Jaraula in a tie for fourth at 69. Gamolo birdied three of his first five holes but lost momentum when the wind picked up, making three consecutive bogeys from No. 8. He fought back with three birdies in a four-hole stretch beginning at No. 13 to salvage a place near the top. Jaurala returned to a course where he edged Tony Lascuña in sudden death when Pueblo de Oro last hosted a PGT event in 2019. The layout’s latest examination proved no less exacting, as blustery conditions over the closing holes made club selection and distance control increasingly critical. Zaragosa surged ahead with a three-under card through seven holes, but stumbled under early pressure and bogeys on Nos. 11 and 13. However, he mounted a strong recovery with consecutive birdies from the 16th to force his way back into contention. Jahns, returning to competition after narrowly missing out at DP World Tour Qualifying, slipped to a share of fourth after bogeying No. 17 that halted a fiery four-birdie blitz over six holes from No. 10. Japanese Miki Ryoma, pro-am winner Zanieboy Gialon and 14-year-old amateur Ralph Batican matched 70s to likewise put themselves in contention in the P2.5 million championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. A protégé of golf legend Frankie Miñoza, Batican more than held his own from the back tees, using powerful drives of around 280 yards to produce three birdies against one bogey. Playing on a course he considers home, the rising Bukidnon talent said he had expected to break par because of his confidence in his game. Batican also led the low-amateur race with a 70, ahead of Jed Dy, who carded 74, and Vito Sarines and local standout Jacob Rolida, who shot identical 75s. Miñoza, making a rare PGT appearance, struggled to a 78. The difficulty of the test was reflected in the scoring, with only 11 players breaking par, including Marvin Dumandan (71), and three others matching regulation figures. Dino Villanueva, who aced the 213-yard sixth and birdied No. 17, offset those gains with a bogey and a double bogey to settle for 72, joining Elee Bisera and Korean Kim Tae Soo in a tie for 12th. Several of the Tour’s leading names also found the course unforgiving. Tony Lascuña, reigning Order of Merit champion Angelo Que and Guido van der Valk all carded 74s at joint 19th, while Iloilo leg winner Jhonnel Ababa slipped to 75 after an early share of the lead, undone by three bogeys and a double bogey against a birdie over his last 11 holes. Bautista emerged with the lead, but with three rounds remaining, the course had already made clear that staying there would be another challenge altogether. TMT