Villamor hosts RP amateurs

Villamor hopes to provide a different kind of challenge for both the cream of the amateur crop and the rising stars when it hosts the Philippine Amateur Golf Championship beginning June 1.

The flat but long par-72 layout, home to the Philippine Masters, is expected to test not only the field’s shotmaking skills but mental toughness as well with its tight fairways and sleek putting surface, especially when the winds come into play.

Although Juvic Pagunsan remains the solid pick to top this year’s event owing to his remarkable finishes in the pro tournaments the last few months, a reversal is not being ruled out with the rest of the cast raring to prove their worth.

There is Jun Bernis who hopes to come up with a fitting follow-up to his stirring victory in the DHL Amateur Open early this year where he bested a stellar field that included Pagunsan.

Also in the fold are fellow Canlubang teammates Jay Bayron, the Samsung Tour champion, and veteran campaigners Ronnie Torrecampo and Boyet Saragoza, while Southwoods, which created a big impact in the recent PAL Interclub, is also pinning its hopes on the likes of Gene Bondoc, Tonton Asistio, Mark Lopez and Michael Bibat.

Marvin Dumandan, the long-hitting former national team mainstay from Riviera, is also seeing action in the six-day tournament conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.

Registration is still ongoing. Entry fee is pegged at P2,500 with free practice round on May 31. For details, call up NGAP (525-6987/524-5160) (521-1587-fax) or Villamor (853-4987/853-5047) (853-4988-fax).

The first two days will serve as the qualifying rounds and will be played under the stroke play format with the top 32 players advancing to the next round where play shifts from medal to match. The final will be a 36-hole duel ending on June 6.