U-Bix offers P1-M purse in pro-am

The winning professional will receive P138,200 while his partner will get a gift certificate worth P34,560 in this year’s P1-million U-Bix-Riviera National Pro Am golf championship.

U-Bix president Bert Bravo bared this yesterday after handing the P1-million check to Vice Admiral Luisito Fernandez, vice president of the National Golf Association of the Philippines.

Bravo and Riviera Golf and Country Club president Danny Pizarro launched the event last year to revive the now-gone Fort Bonifacio Pro Am.

"The pros will be fighting for cash prizes worth P800,000 while the amateurs will be disputing gift certificates worth P200,000," Bravo said during their meeting at the Caffee Appasionnato in Makati City.

The NGAP, headed by its president Rod Feliciano, is also involved in conducting the annual tournament.

The four-day event starts Nov. 13 at the Riviera Golf and Country Club’s Couples course in Silang, Cavite. Noli Kempis and Erwin Vinluan won last year at the nearby Langer Course.

Preceding the tournament proper is an 18-hole Celebrity Pro Am slated on Nov. 12.

Major sponsors this year are U-Bix Corporation, Konica Corporation, Caffee Appasionnato, San Miguel Corporation and Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation. "The second top pro will win P92,860 while third place is worth P54,460, fourth P44,860 and fifth P38,460," said Bravo, who revived the event to help the country’s professionals.

"The four other top amateurs will win gift certificates worth P223,220, P13,620, P11,220 and P9,620. respectively," said Pizarro. "Actually, the top 30 teams will receive prizes."

A Toyota Altis 1.8 is the hole-in-one prize on the par three sixth during the tournament proper. Another Toyota Altis is also the prize for an ace on the same hole in the Celebrity Pro Am.

"We will allow all amateur participants and professionals who are 60 or older to use golf carts during the Celebrity Pro Am and the tournament proper," said Riviera golf director Lewis Rissman.