The game of kings was recently the centerpiece of sports in the country as the San Miguel team won the inaugural Philippine Polo Open with a 9-4 victory over Global Port at the Manila Polo Club.
Iñigo Zobel was at the forefront of San Miguel’s attack, as the veteran international scored two goals in the first chukker. He finished the match with three.
“We had a good game today. The team functioned well. But it wasn’t easy. We just got the good breaks. Our advantage is that we’ve played together before and our horses worked well,†said Zobel.
Tommy Bitong, an upstart 13-year-old, backed the effort of Zobel with two goals in the third.
The other scorers were Sam Hunt and Juan Jauretche with two apiece.
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Global Port owner Mikee Romero did not play in the title match due to the death of his grandfather earlier in the day, and his absence on the field told heavily on the team.
He watched along the sideline with his family, and was pleased with the success of the event, since the proceeds from the match were earmarked for the victims of typhoon Yolanda.
The battle for third place was won by Royal Brunei after a 5-4 win over Tang Polo of China. Brunei Prince Jefri Bolkiah played alongside Prince Qawi Bolkiah and Prince Bahar Bolkiah in the victory.
The Philippine Open was a fitting climax to two major tournaments Romero himself sponsored last year, including one for young and promising polo players.
“The biggest names in the sport of polo in the region were here, so we had to do everything to make the event not only successful but also very memorable for them,†said Romero.
The event was supported by Globalport 900, Inc., San Miguel Corporation, Lifestyle Asia, Air Asia, and Manila North Harbour Port, Inc.
Let’s hope there are more entertaining matches and events on the horizon for the rest of the year!
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