Crack foreign field vies in Phl Am

MANILA, Philippines - A talent-laden foreign field, led by the leading players from Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, has confirmed participation in the Philippine Amateur Golf Championship Open which gets under way April 12 at Riviera’s Langer course in Silang, Cavite.

The organizing National Golf Association of the Philippines expects an exciting four-day battle among the country’s finest against foreign contingent in the tournament, which will use the 72-hole stroke play format for the first time.

The NGAP, however, said a match play event will still be held at Wack Wack while Alabang will host the Philippine Amateur Junior Championship.

Registration for the Phl Am is ongoing. For details, contact NGAP at (02) 7065926 and at the Riviera through Cyril Belardo at (046) 4142888 or (02) 8889127.

For years, the NGAP has been using the 36-hole stroke qualifying format with the top 72 players or so advancing to the match play phase spread over four days. But the NGAP said it decided to adopt the stroke-play format since it has been the practice in neighboring Southeast Asian nations Singapore and Malaysia and even Hong Kong.

Defending champions Clyde Mondilla and Irina Gabasa will lead the Philippines bid in the event along with Jobim Carlos, Zanie Boy Gialon and Art Arbole and the fancied ICTSI golf team of Dottie Ardina, Chihiro Ikeda, Jayvie Agojo and Lovelynn Guioguio among others.

With foreign entries in the cast, this year’s Phl Am will now be a ranking event for the governing R&A of Scotland, giving the local players the chance to gain world rankings points and possibly the chance to compete in other prestigious events globally.