Midlands ready for La Salle-Ateneo duel

La Salle and Ateneo will not only test each other’s shotmaking mettle but also face the challenge of Tagaytay Midlands in the La Salle-Ateneo Match Play 2008 starting tomorrow.

Whipped up to championship form, the hazard-laden layout is expected to bring out the best, or worst, from the competing teams with its sleek, unpredictable putting surface and the fairways and greenside roughs grown higher than normal.

The La Salle golfers, led by Miko Alejandro, mastered the rolling terrain when they dominated the Eagles from start to finish to prevail in last year’s duel of the country’s top institutions.

Tommy Manotoc has begged off from this year’s match while jungolf standout Justine Tambunting is still in the US and couldn’t make it in time for the event organized and hosted by Belle Corporation and Tagaytay Highlands and sponsored by Fiji Water, Hawaiian Tropics and Pacific Online.

“Though we do not have the same lineup as last year’s winning team, we have brought back Terence Macatangay to fill in the absence of Tambunting,” said La Salle team skipper Freddie Mendoza. “We have new ideas and new matchups for this year’s matches.”

Hoping to provide La Salle the leadership are reigning club champion of MNL golf former PSC commissioner Richie Garcia and former national champion Francis Gaston.

Many-time seniors champion Iggy Clavecilla will lead Ateneo’s charge along with Mari Hechanova, Marty Ilagan and the youth brigade of Marcel Puyat, Anthony Fernando and new recruit Judeson Eustaquio, the reigning Florida State champion.

“The veterans will bring the experience to the matches and the youth will provide the fresh legs and stamina. We will have an almost equal amount of veterans and youth this year,” said Ateneo captain Bobby Ysip.

The event, held in cooperation with the La Salle Golf Club Inc. and the Ateneo Golf Foundation, will feature the foursome and four-ball matches in the first two days with all 18 players of both sides clashing in head-to-head duels on the final day. Each side will be composed of 18 top amateur players (14 regular men, two seniors, two ladies) representing the best from the rival schools.

Belle Corporation, one of the country’s leading leisure property development companies, and Tagaytay Highlands, headed by founder Willy Ocier, will stage the high-profile duel for the next three years.