Mabuhay Miles Invitational tees off at Eagle Ridge

MANILA, Philippines - A topnotch field of over 300 golfers comprising company chief executives, presidents and other captains of business and industry will see action on Friday for the 2009 Mabuhay Miles Elite Invitational at the Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club here.

Dubbed “Swing by at Tee Time,” the one-day tournament is organized by Mabuhay Miles, Philippine Airlines’ frequent flyer program for its Premier Elite and Elite circle of Business Class passengers.

The 18-hole event will be played under the System 36 format. Players will be divided into four classes plus a women’s division.

Among those who signed up to play are Rizalino Navarro, chairman of Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation; Rodolfo Feliciano, chairman of DHL Philippines; and Brian Cockrell, president of Pathfinder Group.

Last year, Vietnamese-American expatriate Tuan Nguyen edged businessman Valeriano Floro to emerge overall net champion. Floro settled for the low-gross crown. Both are back to defend their titles.

The tournament is backed by major sponsors Airbus, Allied Banking Corp., Boeing, GE Pacific Pte. Ltd., Hilton Cebu Resort and Spa, Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority, MasterCard International Philippines Inc., Manny O Wines, Petron Corp. and Sabre Airlines Solutions.

A top-of-the-line luxury vehicle courtesy of Toyota Motor Philippines is at stake for a hole in one.

Century Park Hotel is the official hotel while AIU Insurance (Philippines) Company is the official insurer.

The corporate sponsors are KID - Systeme GmbH, Panasonic Avionics Corporation, Samsung Electronics Philippines Corporation, Star Cruises Philippines and Yahoo! Philippines Services, Inc.

Other backers are Century Quality Gourmet Bangus Fillet, Citibank, N. A., Pacific Paints (Boysen) Philippines, Philippine National Bank, Union Bank of the Philippines and World Traveller/Victorinox/Kangol headwear.

The prize donors include Asia Brewery Inc., Boracay Regency Beach Resort, British India/Clark Shoes, California Pizza Kitchen, EDSA Shangri-La Manila, Fuego Hotels & Properties, G3 Worldwide Mail Philippines, Inc., Ideal Vision, Lufthansa Technik Philippines, Microtel Inns and Suites (Pilipinas) Inc., Pan Pacific Manila, Security Bank Corporation and Traders Hotel Manila.