Eye on the second round

Powerhouse teams Brazil, Germany, Argentina, and England have already qualified for the next round of the World Cup.

With the top two teams of each group advancing to the second round, more exciting matches are expected since this will be the start of the knockout stage.

Although Brazil is yet to score an impressive win in this World Cup, the team remains the hot favorite to win the title. I believe Argentina can spring a surprise and maybe England or Germany.

A second round battle however looms between the English and Germans based on their current standings in their groups.

Germany is running second in group A behind tournament surprise package Ecuador, while England leads group B. If there will be no changes in the positions at the end of the elimination round, then either England or Germany will be packing their bags early. The only way this match can be avoided is if Germany would beat Ecuador in the final match of the elimination round. That however seems a tall order for the host team.

Two other teams that are definitely advancing are Portugal and Spain. The Spaniards displayed awesome power when they scored a rout against Ukraine, but there is more that it needs to do in the second round to make it farther in the tournament.

Many have asked me about the US team. Well, it looks like there is still very little chance for the team to the advance. It would take some sort of a miracle though for that to happen.

The Americans are at the bottom of the standings in group E, which is considered as one of the two groups and death for this year's World Cup. The other tough group is Group C where Argentina leads.

There are still many things that can happen even if the teams have only one more game left to play in the group matches. This also means that there are still many night outs that we have to spend in the establishments that have the live telecast of the World Cup.

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Tito Bombi Aznar, chairman of the board of Alta Vista Golf and Country Club told me last Sunday during the award rites of The View Invitational that I haven't been writing much about golf lately.

Well, it's not only golf, but also many other sports since the World Cup fever is still on.

However, there are a few golf stories that I too need to write after the successful View Tournament that ended last weekend, two more are lined up - the Business in Golf this Friday and the 6th Copa de Golf on the 30th both at the Cebu Country Club.

Ricarte Santos, who many fondly call as Rickitoi, also sent me e-mail last week to announce that Club Filipino is now all set to stage the 9th Corn Tee this September 7 to 10 at its golf course in Danao City.

Club President Renato V. Osmeña has taken pride in the beauty of this course, which was designed by the late Peter 'Maestro' Chiongbian.

Carved on a valley in barangay Pulangyuta, Danao City, the course has also become more accessible with the asphalting of the Club Filipino Drive that leads to the clubhouse from the highway.

The tournament is a three-man team event with a Club Filipino member to pair off with two guests.

This will be a 36-hole Modified Stableford Scoring event.

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MILESTONE: Belated happy birthday to my maternal grandfather, Silverio Espina Lebumfacil, who turned 80 years old yesterday.

Though we rarely see Lolo Seling, who is based in Toledo City, he is always in our hearts. Happy birthday!