Miñoza leads elite cast in hunt for P1-M top prize

Frankie Miñoza gets another chance to showcase his shotmaking skills against the cream of the country’s pro crop after an unimpressive stint last month as he sets out the sentimental favorite in the cash-rich first Don Pocholo Razon Memorial Invitational golf tournament set next week at the posh The Country Club in Canlubang.

Organizers of the event said the 42-year-old Miñoza has confirmed his participation in the four-day championship slated Feb. 25-28 which offers a top purse of P1 million from the total prize money of P3.5 million, easily making it a major championship outside of the Philippine Open.

Actually, Miñoza’s first return to the local golf scene after a long while proved to be a big disappointment after he finished joint 15th in the Davao leg of the First Gentleman’s Circuit last month, breaking par only once in three days. Then he withdrew after 27 holes in the next leg in Cagayan due to wrist injury.

But the Japan PGA Tour regular is expected to be in tip-top condition next week, thus making him the marked man in the event put up by Ricky Razon, Jr., president of the International Container Services, Inc. to honor the memory of his father, Don Pocholo, who founded ICTSI in 1987 and turned it into the biggest ports management company in the country.

However, the reticent Miñoza, who last won in 2001 in the Fujisankei Classic, will have his hands full against a talented field of players toughened up by a series of tournaments in the ongoing First Gentleman’s Circuit and raring to spoil the bid of the top Filipino shotmaker for the third straight time.

Spicing up the keenly-awaited event is the pro-am tournament in the first round, a four-man stroke play format where two round-trip tickets to the US West Coast, courtesy of Northwest Airlines, will be raffled off for the amateurs and imported Nike bags for the pros during the awards rites.

Meanwhile, organizing committee chairman Vince Villafuerte said a free practice round will be held Monday starting at 8 a.m.