Old East jinx hounds Frankie

Premier Filipino pro Frankie Miñoza returns to Wack Wack East to confront the ghost of his past and bury a Philippine Open jinx that has hounded him over the fabled grounds of the old course.

He may find relief this week. Or endure another heartbreak.

" Of the past 12 Opens here, I could only remember two good outings. Malimit cut-off nga," he said in jest.

The occasion was the practice round yesterday for the 87th edition of the event, dubbed the Casino Filipino Philippine Open. He played 18 holes, mainly pacing the course for yardage. Then he accommodated buddy Marimuthu Ramayah of Malaysia for a nine-hole workout in the afternoon.

The 42-year-old Miñoza, who finished 17th in the Order of Merit in the Japanese PGA Tour last year with a sixth victory there, is actually coming back to Wack Wack after a span of 12 years . He wasn’t around when compatriot Cassius Casas ruled this one by five shots last year.

Although Miñoza won the Centennial edition of the Open in the rugged terrains of Riviera in Cavite in 1997, he has yet to win this event, Asia’s oldest open, on its traditional venue at Mandaluyong.

It did move around as it rode the crest of new wave of impressively designed courses the past decade, but the Open always returns to the place it called home since 1935.

With its natural layout, the East provides a true test of golf for the men of the tour. And leading the challenge is a group of former champs led by Miñoza himself.

But it won’t be easy. Miñoza has admitted trying out a new swing and did test it during the Singapore Masters. Although he missed the cut , he blamed it more on poor health, having run a fever the week of the Masters.

" After the Japanese Tour last December, I didn’t touch a club for two months, then I started working out on a new swing. While before , medyo upright ang backswing, ngayon ipinasok. Maganda naman ang resulta. Ma high-ball," he said.

His swing guru, noted teaching pro Roger Retuerto, said they did some adjustments on the swing plane and ball placement.

"Hindi na bata iyan ( He’s no longer young), the body not as flexible, so we made some adjustments. Sa practice he hit all fairways," said Retuerto.

Winning the Open at Riviera has apparently taken so much load off Minoza but repeating the feat over this storied course that seemed to cast a curse on his game is another story.

Since he turned pro in 1982, Frankie could only remember coming up with two good Opens here. The first in 1985 when he lost by one shot to American Mark Aebli and the other in 1990, finishing joint fourth in the event won by Robert Pactolerin.

That loss in 1990 fuelled an amazing run of victories for Miñoza. He won four titles in Thailand, Indonesia, Taiwan and Japan and topped the Asian tour order of merit, eventually leading to an invitation to play in the US Masters in Augusta the following year.

"Maganda ang Open dito. The course is in good shape, the greens and fairways are in excellent condition," he said.

Another Filipino pro worth watching is Danny Zarate, who has made the cut in all three legs of the Davidoff Tour he competed in. He had a best finish of 11th in the Myanmar Open.

Meanwhile, Miñoza teams up with Ben Abalos in today’s Pro-Am.

As of presstime, Abalos, who is co-chair with Rod Feliciano of the RP Open’s executive committee, is awaiting word whether or not President Macapagal Arroyo will join the Championship flight.

If plans don’t miscarry, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo might be the third amateur in the Miñoza foursome.

Miñoza and his three teammates will tee off at 12 noon for the second shotgun start. The first shotgun tee off is at 6:30 a.m.