Those balls may be bombs

BAGUIO — That golf ball might just be a bomb. Nobody knows, so even golfing events have to be safe nowadays.

More so during the annual Fil-Am golf tournament at the Baguio Country Club and Club John Hay here which has been drawing parbusters from as far as Hawaii and California in the US as well as other nations in the Asia-Pacific rim — South Korea, Guam, Japan, and Hong Kong.

Fil-Am Golf, already on its 35th year, is the longest-running amateur golf tournament in the world drawing golfers from all over, including 83-year-old Al Frick who has been playing in the Fil-Am for the past 35 years and hopes to make the lineup once more for the BCC team this year.

City Mayor Bernardo Vergara assured that the players would be safe in Baguio despite threats of international terrorism.

Bomb sniffing dogs are available at Camp John Hay and from the Baguio City Police to ensure the safety not only of the golfers but also to the visitors of the city, Vergara added.

Anthony de Leon, general manager of BCC, said this year’s organizers of the tournament have decided to trim down the number of the competing teams to 60 from the previous 73.

"The reduction of the competing teams would ensure the quality play that would probably be enjoyed by everybody," De Leon said.

De Leon said 30 foreign teams have signed for this year’s tournament. Aside from these, 14 golf clubs and 71 local teams will vie for the honors in the tournament bankrolled by Smart Telecommunications, College Assurance Plan, Northwest Airlines, Wilson, and San Miguel Beer.

Two BMW sports cars are staked as hole-in-one prizes.

A round-trip ticket for two to the United States is up for grabs.

Both management of BCC and Camp John Hay are busy preparing the golf courses.

The tournament uses the modified PAL-Stableford system where par equals two points.

Meanwhile, the Baguio City Council on Wednesday declared Dec. 2-7 as Fil-Am Golf Week, giving importance after 53 years of hosting the annual international amateur golf tournament in the city.

City Councilor Federico Mandapat Jr, also a golf enthusiast, said the event brings prestige to the city, not only as a premier tourists destination but also a melting pot of races, creed and culture.

The city legislator said that the annual men’s Fil-Am golf tournament aims to provide opportunity for men to bridge their cultural differences through the challenges provided by the equalizing round of golf, promoting better socio-cultural relations not only among Filipinos but among other nations."