Golf pool elims unwraps at Valley

ANTIPOLO – Ferdie Aunzo, coming off a romp in the Philippine Amateur Golf Championship in Bacolod Sunday, heads a crack roster of players chasing the six slots in the national pool when the 72-hole qualifier fires off today  at the Valley Golf Club here.

The field includes the top finishers in the 36-hole stroke play RP Amateur elims at the Marapara layout which Aunzo topped then the 28-year-old Davaoeno shotmaker went on to beat five rivals, including local bet JR Tanpinco, 5&4, to win the championship.

The top six players after four days will make up the national pool from where the four members of the RP team seeing action in two big international events this year will be selected.

If Aunzo, the spearhead of ICTSI golf team who also won the Karambunai Open and the Sabah Amateur last month, fails to make the grade, the organizing National Golf Association of the Phils. said it will add a seventh slot in the pool to accommodate the national champion.

The top four players after another 72-hole elims in July will compose the RP squad competing in the Putra Cup in Singapore in August and the World Amateurs in Australia in October.

Joining the hunt for RP pool seats are reigning Hong Kong Amateur champion and Malaysian Amateur runner-up Dante Becierra and former national team mainstay Jhonnel Ababa, who took the two slots vacated by Justin Limjap and JR Tanpinco, who opted not to join the elims.

The others in the fold are Jessie Balasabas, John Kier Abdon, Mario Labajo, Erwin Vinluan, Rufino Bayron, Mark Fernando, Paul Echavez, Chepe Dulay, Alvin Engino, Rocky Co, Terence Macatangay, Tonton Asistio and Anthony Fernando.

Anya Tanpinco, who held off 13-year-old Irina Gabasa, 2-up, to complete a back-to-back romp in the RP Amateurs, leads the cast in the ladies side of the elims with the top five clashing for the three RP team berths in another 72-hole elims next month.

Joining Anya Tanpinco and Gabasa are Sarah Jane Ababa, Carmelette Villaroman, Lovelyn Guioguio, Sunshine Baraquiel, Kristine Leonen and Marian Woo along with the members of the RP team which finished sixth in the recent Queen Sirikit Cup – reigning RP Ladies Open and Sabah Amateur champion Chihiro Ikeda, Karambunai Open winner Cyna Rodriguez and Louise Manalo.