National amateur golf gets underway

The chase for the top 32 slots begins today as the Philippine Amateur Golf Championship reels off with the staging of the 36-hole stroke play event at the Langer course of the Riviera golf complex in Silang, Cavite.

Defending champion Jerome Delariarte heads the big turnout of entries ˆ 97 – vying for berths into the next round where play shifts to match play starting.

Thursday. Delariarte, who beat Angelo Que at the Eagle Ridge last year, tees off at 7:09 a.m. on No. 1 in the company Paul Miñoza, Bobby Celestino and Jan Michael Yee.

Juvic Pagunsan, the player experts believe has the talent and skills to foil Delariarte’s back-to-back title bid, will have a rather late start at 8:21 a.m., also on No. 1, although the reigning SEA Games champion is expected to set in motion his bid with an early solid start.

The organizing National Golf Association of the Philippines (NGAP) will use both nines for tee-off to speed up play although the dreaded winds and the challenge offered by the ravine-laced layout are expected to slow down the field in their quest for berths in the tournament proper.

But for sure, it will not be a two-man affair as a slew of equally-talented players are in the fold, including Jay Bayron, Jonard Rates, Marvin Dumandan, Boyet Saragoza, Gene Bondoc, JR Tanpinco, Tonlet Asistio, Juami Rocha, Bong Brobio and former champion Artemio Murakami.

Tommy Manotoc heads the bid of the veterans in this event backed by DHL, Philippine Golf Foundation, WWWExpress and DHL Worldwide that include the Hechanova brothers – Jeric and Jose Mari, Dave Hernandez, Rolly Viray and reigning DHL Open champion Abe Rosal.

The top 32 players after two rounds of stroke play will advance to the next round, a match play event with the No. 1 in the elims clashing with the last-placed player and the No. 2 pitted against No. 31 and so on.

Winners of the first match play event will advance to the round of 16 on Friday, with the quarterfinals and the semifinals slated on Saturday. The final, a grueling 36-hole duel, is set Sunday.