Arnel Manganti and Arnold Duay gun for an unprecedented three-peat as overall champions when they lead the largest ever field of 384 teams seeing action in the silver anniversary edition of the Mango Tee, the member-guest tournament of the Alabang Country Club presented by Pilipinas Shell Feb. 2-7.
After becoming only the second team to repeat as champions last time, Manganti and his guest partner Duay return to the exclusive Alabang course with the mission of pulling off the first three-in-a-row feat in event history.
The back-to-back romps of Manganti-Duay and Rafael Santiago-Francis de Borja (1998-99) are so far the best of the Mango Tee which is also co-presented by Smart Communications with Mizuno, La Mancha Pyro, Philippine Airlines, Skyline, Pisanti, Pepsi, Golforce as major sponsors.
The two-time defending champions, however, will have their hands full against an overflowing field accommodated to join the celebration of the 25th year of the tourney which is being extended to six days just for the second time.
Ushering in the event is the ceremonial tee-off on Jan. 31 expected to be graced by ACCI president Rudy Estrellado, the other club directors and the organizing committee headed by Johnny Castillo and Vic Guzman.
Coordinated efforts by these club officials are to make sure that this year’s Mango Tee will shine like silver especially with the support of hole-in-one sponsors Citimotors/Mitsubishi, The Turf Company and Yamaha/Kart Plaza.
Premium hole sponsors are Air 21, Ayala Land Premier, Filinvest Development Corp., Freysinet/FF Cruz & Co. Inc., Fortune Tobacco, Netforce Int’l. Inc., PhilAxa Life Insurance Corp., PLDT, Stradcom, Yellow Cab.
Regular hole sponsors are Abante, Boy Leonio, Altus Communications Inc, Asian Visions Group, Inc., Beacon Environmental Mgt., City Service Corp., Chinatrust, Coppertone, Danvil Holdings, Inc., Eurotel/Hotel Sogo, First Multi Tech & Industrial Corp., Green Cross, GG & A Clubshares, Golfers Clubshares, GRM International Inc., Guthrie Jensen Consultants Inc., ITouchPoint, Joseph Rice Center/Jan Barandiaran, Linkedge Inc., M&M Manpower Services, MIS Maritime Corp., Outback Restaurant, Ottica Corporation, Pacific Flour Mills, Pagcor, Pancake House. Petrolift Inc., Portion Fillers Inc., Primelode Corp., Prudential Life Plan Group, R.S. & M.A. Caparros & Asso., Safeseas Shipping Agency Co., San Miguel Corp., Sara Lee Phils., Inc., Sea Trans Oil, SkyBroadband, Solar Sports, Tanduay Distilleries, Teriyaki Boy, Transoil Corp., Unilever, Velca Travel and Tours, Velca Travel and Tours, 357 Boracay.