Guam Kool Swingers pace Fil-Am golf

BAGUIO CITY – The Guam Kool Swingers shot 118 points at the Camp John Hay Golf Club course yesterday to pace the Fil Division’s Flight C in the first round of the 53rd Fil-Am Golf Invitational.

Ben Pangilinan toured the 5,001-yard up-and-down layout with a two over par 71 to push the Kool Swingers past defending champion Metro Manila.

Over at the par-61, 4,038-yard Baguio Country Club course, Rod Baybayan shot 29 points to power the DKA Los Angeleños to a 13-point lead over Dugong Bughaw in the Am Division’s Flight C.

An international field of 600 players from 60 invited teams is competing in what the Guinness Book of Records said is the "world’s largest amateur golf event."

Smart Communications is this year’s presenter while College Assurance Plan (CAP), Northwest Airlines, Royal Caribbean Cruise, Wilson, BCDA, JPDC, Premiere Wines and Spirits and San Miguel Corp. are the major sponsors.

Other backers in the tournament ending Dec. 7 are Bluecross-Assist America, Caltex Philippines Inc., U-Bix Corp., Brent School International and Pizza Hut Baguio.

Pangilinan’s gross score of 71 has the equivalent of 34 points in the Stableford scoring, which awards one point for bogey, two par, three birdie, four eagle and five for an ace.

Noel Carino backed up Pangilinan with 32 and stressed that they possess a balanced team. Jun Toledo contributed 29 points while their fourth scorer was Phil Cortez with 23. Willie Valencia made 19 and didn’t count.

Other scorers for DKA Los Angeles I were Reynaldo Cabato and Ely Coloma with 26 apiece and the 15 of either Dante Arcega or Amor Fores. In the event, a team allows five to play but only the best four will count.

Metro Manila started its Fil Division Flight C title defense with 108 points, thanks to Col. Raul Gonzales’ 31, the 28s of Gen. Ed Gador and Col. Eugene Martin and Col. Peter Balinang 21. The fifth man was Col. Art Tolentino with 19.

Baguio Country Club, despite fielding only four players, came up with 110 to take the early Fil Division Flight D lead on Bill Lawrence’s 33, the 29 of Sagat Giron, Bernie Cuyno’s 28 and the 20 of Fred Lacson.

Green Water Meadows took second place behind Baguio Country Club in the battle for the Fil Division’s Class D crown after shooting 105 on Fred Puckett’s 28, the 26 of Larry Puckett, Manny David’s 23 and the 22 of Benito Ang.

The foreign field composed of a hundred golfers here expressed satisfaction over the handling of the security.

Former US Army Serviceman Larry Stover, who now lives in Japan, believes that terrorist threats are "only meant to terrify the Philippine tourism industry and the local economy."

Stover is playing for the Seoul Survivor team, one of 40 foreign entries from Asia Pacific, Europe, USA and Canada.

The members of the Baguio City Police, with help coming from the Regional Special Action Force, are providing round-the-clock security and police visibility operations during the tournament. — With reports from Artemio Dumlao