73 teams gird for action as Fil-Am unfolds

BAGUIO CITY — Hostilities start today as the 54th Fil-Am invitational golf tournament kicks off at the Baguio Country Club and Camp John Hay courses here.

At least 730 players from 73 teams from the Asia Pacific rim will start teeing-off in the event presented by Smart Telecommunications and backstopped by Northwest Airlines and Royal Caribbean.

Actions start for the lower C, D, E and F flights in both the Fil Division at the shorter par-61 BCC layout and the Am flights at the CJH course.

"I wish the success of your tournament and I hope it will inspire you to pursue excellence in all your chosen fields," President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said in a faxed message to the Fil-Am organizing committee.

Meanwhile, focus shifts to the Championship flights on Wednesday as Mizuno Sports tries to break Manila Southwoods hold on the crown. Jerome Delariarte will spearhead the Carmona, Cavite-based parbusters’ quest for the crown anew with a young but strong backstoppers in national amateur champion Artemio Murakami, Gene Bondoc, Marc Lopez and Antonio Asistio.

Mizuno will be spearheaded by last year’s Am Championship over-all low medallist Tristan Tabanas at the forefront. Tabanas, a grandson of golf great Celestino Tugot, actually matched Delariarte’s five under performance last year and now have shifted to the Fil Division in an attempt to derail Southwood’s quest.

Former Southwoods mainstay Erwin Vinluan moves to Mizuno to boost the team’s chances with Paul Miñoza, nephew of the country’s premier golfer Frankie, U-Bix runner-up Marvin Dumandan and Mike Bibat.