P1M FDG Cup offers richest doubles purse

MANILA, Philippines - The P1 million FDG Cup Open and Invitational Badminton Championships get going Oct. 5-6 with the country’s leading players and national pool members expected to clash for top honors in the Open men’s, ladies and mixed doubles at Powersmash in Pasong Tamo, Makati.

A top purse of P200,000 will be up for grabs in the men’s doubles while the mixed doubles winner will get P120,000 and the ladies doubles champions P90,000, making it the richest ever in any Open doubles competitions.

 Registration is ongoing with fee pegged at P800 per participant, inclusive of tournament shirt, sports bag and mini electric fan. A double entry is allowed with the same entry fee.

 Deadline for list-up in the Open category is on Sept. 21 with the draw set Sept. 24 at Crowne Plaza. For details, call/text 0932-8573431 c/o Glenn Encarnacion or Richard Bautista or log on to www.fdgcup.com.

The event, staged by the business partners of Robinsons Land Corp.  and in cooperation with the Partners Cup in honor of RLC president Frederick D. Go, a badminton enthusiast himself, is held to promote fitness and health and at the same time foster camaraderie among the management and staff of RLC and its business partners, including architects, consultants, project managers, contractors and suppliers and friends.

World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei and doubles specialist Koo Kean Kiat of Malaysia graced last year’s staging of the annual tournament, where he played alongside FDG and Kennevic Asuncion in exhibition matches.

The top RLC shuttlers will also be vying in the tournament proper which also stakes P25,000 for runner-up in Open (men’s doubles), P15,000 (mixed doubles) and P10,000 (ladies doubles). The quarterfinalists will receive P5,000, P3,000 and P2,500, respectively.

Organizers of the event, to be graced by Iza Calzado as host, said the field will be limited to 64 pairs in the men’s doubles and 32 teams each in the mixed and ladies doubles. Giselle Sanchez and Brod Pete will provide the entertainment.