Orchard’s Founders Invitational under way

MANILA, Philippines - The 16th Founders Golf Invitational of the Orchard Golf and Country Club unfurls today with the first batch of a blockbuster cast of 800 players taking a first crack at the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C180 Classic and a 2012 Hyundai Tucson up for grabs as hole-in-one prizes.

Jay Art Tugade and Monchu Nolasco are back to defend the low gross crown while last year’s overall member winner Alex Ong is bringing in Peter Lin in the country’s biggest member-guest tournament presented by Solaire Resort & Casino which is giving away tournament and raffle prizes worth over P5 million that include two PAL Business Class roundtrip tickets to the US.

Major sponsors are Philippine Airlines, Banco De Oro – CLG/VISA, Sta. Lucia Realty Corp., Kulinarya Global Corp., CATS Motors Inc. and Hyundai Dasmariñas. Premium hole sponsors include Air21, Asiana Airlines, Orchard Property Marketing Corp., Security Bank Corp., The Turf Company and Shakey’s Pizza. Hole sponsors are Ayala Land Premier, Beneficial Life Insurance Co. Inc., Cross-link Electric & Construction Corp., EMR General Services Specialist, GG&A Clubshares, Globe Telecom, Nishino Leather Industry Inc., Tri Maritime Corp., Arch. Nelson Montealegre & Associates, EJJE Industrial Sales, Emeritus Security & Maintenance System, F.D. Nolasco Enterprises, Great Depot, Inquirer Golf, International Heavy Equipment Corp., J-Ten Sports (Callaway), John Gil Catering, Joseph Server & Associates, Mizuno, Pacsports Philippines (Nike), RBN Kitchen World Supplies, SAP Build Enterprise, Trends and Technologies, and Western Sales Trading Co. (Phils.) Inc.

Also vying in the low gross competition are Jikjik Abdon and Steve Yoon, Raymund Sangil and newly crowned National Tournament of Club Champions winner Rodel Mangulabnan, JB Garcia and Justin Limjap and Ace Stehmeier and Joax Tolentino. Others who will try to defend their victories last year are Mayor Munding Del Rosario and Alfredo Pareja in Group B, Rose Quilacio and Medardo Reyes in Group C, Willy Tee Ten and Henson Tan in Group D and Doc Eric Reyes and Emerson Santos in the Sponsors Division.