DHL Open SEAG qualifier

The search for members of the Southeast Asian Games team begins with the sixth DHL-NGAP Amateur Open which fires off Jan. 16 at the south course of the Canlubang Golf and Country Club in Laguna.

Hoping to assemble a strong contingent for this year’s SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, the National Golf Association of the Philippines intends to use the DHL-NGAP Open, a stroke-play event, as part of the qualifiers.

"The SEA Games is always a prime concern for the NGAP considering that we’ve always been among the best in the region," said Iggy Clavecilla, tournament chair of the NGAP. "We should get a picture of the kind of team we’ll have for Malaysia after the DHL Open."

It is also because of the SEA Games concern that NGAP president Rod Feliciano has put up the women’s competition in the annual event supported by DHL, the leading courier worldwide service company.

Feliciano has also accepted the top three finishers of the Uratex national caddies championship into the field.

Making it to the starting roster are caddies champion Jay Bayron, runner-up Ruben dela Rosa and third placer Julieto Espuerta whose stints are under the auspices of sports patron and Uratex top honcho Robert Cheng.

They will be pitting skills with battle-tested players, including reigning national amateur champion Angelo Que, Cookie La’O, Jerome Delariarte, Solomon Gines and Juvic Pagunsan. Other notable entries are Jojo Guingona, Jojo Tiongko, Louie Dacudao and Clavecilla.

Defending champion Gerard Cantada, meanwhile, has informed organizers that he’s a doubtful starter due to previous commitments to supervise the Philippine International Junior Golf Championships event at Wack Wack which will be held simultaneous with the DHL-NGAP Open.

Registration for the event ends this Saturday at 5 p.m. Entry fee is P1,500. Only players with handicaps of seven or lower (men) and 10 or lower (women) are eligible to compete.

Men’s play is for 72 holes while the women’s action is only for 54 holes.