Miñoza leads Pinoys bid in S'pore Open

Frankie Miñoza, Angelo Que and Juvic Pagunsan open their campaign in the rich Singapore Open beginning today, hoping to come out strong against a field teeming with talent at the Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore.

Miñoza, one of Asia’s living legends, heads the seven-man RP contingent in the $5 million event, which features several world’s greats, including No. 2 Phil Mickelson, former two-time Singapore Open champion Adam Scott and this year’s two-time major winner Padraig Harrington and Asia’s finest.

Miñoza tees off at 7:28 a.m. on No. 10 in the company of Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and Jason Knutzon; Que, the reigning Philippine Open champion, battles former RP Open winner Wang Ter-chang and Mo Joong Kyung at 8:48 a.m., while Pagunsan takes on Mitchell Brown and Kang Wook-soon in the 12:40 p.m. flight, also on No. 10.

The other RP bets competing in the four-day championship are Artemio Murakami, Mars Pucay, Tony Lascuna and amateur Ferdie Aunzo, the long Filipino who made it through the qualifier.

Mickelson will play alongside Ian Poulter of England and Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant, holder of a record 10-tournament romp on the Asian Tour.

Harrington is paired with former Asian number one Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand and Arjun Atwal of India, also a former number one who regained his PGA Tour card on Sunday.

Another enticing grouping will have Scott drawn alongside 2007 Asian number one Liang Wen-chong of China and Prayad Marksaeng, who has enjoyed the best year of his career with two wins on the Japan Tour and appearances in three Majors.

Three-time Major winner Ernie Els of South Africa, runner up to Scott in 2006, will play with New Zealand’s Mark Brown, the current leader of the Asian Tour Order of Merit, and Jeev Milkha Singh of India, who has won on the European and Japan Tours this year.