MANILA, Philippines - Inclement weather forced the cancellation of the second round of the Samsung Interscholastic Golf Championships yesterday, reducing the three-day tournament to a 36-hole event at the north course of the Canlubang golf complex in Laguna.
The suspension of classes due to incessant rains and floods forced the organizers to call off the second round play in the annual event sponsored by Samsung for grade school, high school and college students.
“Since classes were suspended in elementary and high school levels, we decided to cancel the second round and cut the tournament into a 36-hole event. Hopefully the weather improves tomorrow (Friday),” said Boy Blu Ocampo of the organizing Bluemansion Enterprise and Services Company.
Wednesday’s first round was actually suspended late in the afternoon, also due to stormy weather, with just the grade schoolers finishing their respective rounds. Play will resume at 7 a.m. today to be followed by the final round in all divisions.
La Salle Green Hills is seeking to retain the overall championship on a high school team built around veteran campaigners Miggy Yee and A.R. Ramos with Iñigo Raymundo and JP De Claro backing up the squad.
Rival Ateneo is pinning its hopes on Charles Corpuz, JR Sta. Maria, Jonathan Cruz, Toby Fernando and Rob Garcia with Brent fielding in Anthony See, Steven Cutajar, Robert Taylor, Felix Cortez and Carlo Quimson.
Keen competition is also seen in collegiate play with La Salle out to repeat its three-point victory over Ateneo last year in the five-to-play, three-to-count event played under the Molave scoring system.
St. Paul’s College-Pasig will be the team to beat in the college/high school girls side while Assumption College shoots for its title-retention bid in the grade school girls’ category of the event, backed by the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines Airphil Express, the official airline, Microtel, Inquirer Golf, Glucos Care Herbal Tea, Custom Clubmakers, Omnisource International.