Crack RP pros begin mission on home turf

The Philippine Open begins today offering a total purse of $200,000 (about P10.4 million) with Australian champ Adam le Vesconte ready to defend the crown against a talented field of foreign and Filipino pros at the fabled hazard-laden Wack Wack east course toughened further by the rains.

The Filipino pros hope to snap a winless campaign in the international front in the year with Gerald Rosales, Angelo Que and Juvic Pagunsan leading the charge on home turf.

Rosales, a former outstanding amateur, hopes to sustain the momentum of his top 10 finish in the Macau Open last week in his hunt for a second RP Open title.

Que, the No. 2 Filipino player in the Asian Tour Order of Merit behind Frankie Miñoza, is looking to annex another major win after his Carlsberg Masters conquest in Vietnam in 2004 where he stunned former US Open winner Corey Pavin.

Pagunsan is also eyeing a breakthrough Asian Tour championship in the event where he had some impressive finishes as an amateur, coming in second to American Edward Michaels in 2004 in Riviera and ruling his division last year at Mt. Malarayat.

Le Vesconte hopes to come up with a strong start and make a good run at a title-repeat although he has yet to reach peak form, having missed seven cuts in 10 events in the season.

"I feel good and I’m looking forward to making a good defense," said Le Vesconte after a practice round at the ancient layout yesterday.

Le Vesconte, a two-time British Open veteran who beat Rosales by four shots with a 12-under card in the RP Open in Malarayat last year, tees off at 7:50 a.m. in a flight that includes another Australian Kane Webber and Indian Amandeep Johl.

A total of 156 players, including 46 Filipinos, are vying for fame and fortune in the 72-hole tourney. Also in the roster are former winner Rick Gibson and other Asian Tour champions like Chinese Taipei’s Wang Ter-chang and Webber - the Macau Open champion.

The 25-year-old Webber sets out for the Open oozing with confidence following his vicitory in Macau. "Everyone starts from scratch but I’ve seen the golf course and I love it. Hopefully at the end of the week, I’ll be up there again," he said.

There are also 10 Filipino amateurs, including national mainstays Gene Bondoc, Michael Bibat, Marvin Dumandan, Roberto Bernis and Antonio Asistio.

Le Vesconte, Rosales and Que agreed the Wack Wack East course is tough that a four-to-six under card total could be enough to win the crown in this event presented by ICTSI and Pagcor and sponsored by Crowne Plaza, Konica Minolta, Philcopy, Srixon, U-Bix Corp., Globe Telecom, Motorola, Posi-Track, Sunbolt, 3636 Golf, SEA-TV and UBS.

"If the sun comes up and the greens harden, it’s gonna be more difficult," said Rosales, a former bemedaled amateur who won the RP Open in 2000.

"You need a lot of patience in this course. You can’t be too greedy. If you make a mistake, it’s okay because everybody goes through the same thing. It’s not as easy as it looks," said Que of the hazard-laden course.

Pagunsan, however, has other things in mind. "I feel like I’m an amateur again. I don’t feel the pressure and I intend to be greedy," he said.

Rosales and Que said they feel tremendous pressure playing before Filipino crowd.

"It’s tougher to play before your kababayans. Filipinos expect local player to win the RP Open," said Que. "The key is to keep playing your game, doing you’re routine then hope for the best."