MANILA, Philippines - The Country Club and Canlubang teams gear up for a four-day battle of shotmaking, putting skills and pride as they clash in the WWWExpress-DHL National Amateur Golf Championships unfolding Feb. 9 at the north course of the Canlubang golf complex in Laguna.
Although both squads are sponsored by the International Container Terminal Services, Inc., the fight for top honors is expected to be fierce right from the start in what promises to be a down-to-the-wire contest among members of the country’s premier golf stables.
Rufino Bayron, winner here in 2008 but whose game took a downswing the last few months, heads the ICTSI-TCC team that includes Antonio Asistio II, Peter Villaber and Dante Becierra while reigning national champion and TCC Invitational low amateur Mhark Fernando, Jhonnel Ababa and Jessie Balasabas lead the club bets raring to flash their familiarity with the tough, wind-raked par-72 layout.
But a host of others will be out to spoil the two teams’ anticipated duel with Sudirman of Indonesia spearheading the foreign contingent in the 72-hole championship sponsored by WWWExpress and DHL, conducted by the National Golf Association of the Phils. and hosted by Cangolf.
Other players competing in the event are Seung Geun Kim of Forest Hills, Alta Vista’s Angelo Gadionco, Eagle Ridge’s Lawrence Celestino, Jonar Austria of Lake Wood Golf and Country Club, Christian delos Santos of Aguinaldo and Forest Hills’ Raymundo Iñigo.
The event, put up by WWWExpress chairman Rod Feliciano to give the amateurs a venue where they can hone their talent and skills, also serves as a preview of the projected ICTSI-TCC and ICTSI-Cangolf duel in the PAL Interclub two weeks from now in Bacolod.
Focus will also be on 54-hole ladies side of the event starting Feb. 10 where Chihiro Ikeda seeks a third straight victory against an equally-talented field that includes Dottie Ardina and fellow ICTSI bets Anya Tanpinco and Sarah Ababa.
Also expected to vie for top honors are Gerie Leen Handog of Alabang and Matet Salivio of Aguinaldo plus a host of other talented players from the various golf clubs in the land.
The event is open to men and women amateurs with handicap indices of 0-7 for men and 0-10 for women. For details, contact NGAP at (02) 5179778/5577849 or fax (02) 706-5926 or e-mail at ngapgolf@hotmail.com or Cangolf office at (049) 549-1363.