RP Open: Confident Casas tests new swing

MANILA, Philippines - Cassius Casas will brandish a new swing as he goes for a second championship in the Philippine Open which fires off Dec. 16 at Mt. Malarayat in Lipa, Batangas.

The dusky Casas used to dominate the local circuit but has slowed down since beating Australian David Gleeson for the RP Open crown at Wack Wack in 2001.

But with an overhauled swing and renewed confidence, the 43-year-old Casas is confident he can contend for the crown in the P2.5 million championship featuring the country’s cream of the crop.

“I’ve got my swing checked and corrected. I know that there’s enough gas left in me to make a run for the crown,” said Casas.

“This will be a good chance for me to show to my fellow pros that I can still compete at a high-level,” said Casas, who last won in 2008 when he topped the B-Ing Championship of the Mercedes-Benz Tour in Thailand.

Joining the Davaoeño shotmaker in the hunt for the top P410,000 purse in the event presented by Aboitiz, San Miguel Corp. and Stradcom are defending champion Angelo Que and fellow Asian Tour regulars Juvic Pagunsan, Artemio Murakami, Mars Pucay, Tony Lascuña and Japan PGA Tour-based Frankie Miñoza.

Also in the fold are the regular campaigners on the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour, including leg winners Elmer Salvador, Marvin Dumandan, Ferdie Aunzo and Danny Zarate.

Meanwhile, Mitsubishi Motors Phils. is staking a brand-new car for a hole-in-one feat in the four-day tournament backed by Pagcor and Jorgman Construction and Dev. Corp. Club Car is the other hole-in-one sponsor. Backing the 93rd staging of the country’s premier championship and Asia’s oldest golf tournament are Sulpicio Lines, Amalgated Motors, Takenaka Corp., EL Enterprises, Orient Pearl, Mega Date Corp., Pandora Korea, MRT, Seokwang, Zest Air, Star Infrastructure, Sunwest, Alecon, Herma Group, Northwest Airlines and Gergia Energy Bar are supporters.