Fil-Am golf invitational starts at BCC, John Hay

BAGUIO – The 59th Fil-Am Men’s Golf Invitational unwraps at the Baguio Country Club and Camp John Hay courses today with teams in the lower brackets taking center stage in the opening round of the event’s regular tournament.

The clash for top honors in the Fil A division is expected to be fierce with last year’s champion Mizuno moving to the higher championship side while Mamala Bay and Guam Kool Swingers go for back-to-back championships in the Fil B and Fil C categories, respectively.

Camp Aguinaldo (Am A) and Fil Golfers of Virginia (Am C) also shoot for their second straight victories in the Am division.

Meanwhile, The Country Club, bannered by the ICTSI-backed golfers, makes its debut tomorrow, looking for no less than a sweep of the Fil and Am Championship crowns.

Reigning national champion Ferdinand Aunzo, DHL Open titlist Rufino Bayron and former national team mainstay Antonio Asistio are expected to lead the bid of The Country Club.

Backstopping the talent-laden squad are last year’s Hong Kong Amateur Open winner Dante Becierra and former RP champion Anthony Fernando.

“Everybody is excited to play in the Fil-Am. With the exception of Bayron, Asistio and Fernando, all are newcomers here,” said The Country Club manager Freddie Mendoza.

“We’ll treat the Fil-Am as in any other tournament. My players will play their usual games and will try to win it convincingly,” said head coach Bong Lopez, whose wards became the automatic favorites in the absence of last year’s champion Club Marinduque.