Phl Am golf under way at Wack Wack

MANILA, Philippines - Jobim Carlos hopes to end a string of runner-up finishes while Rupert Zaragosa seeks to re-claim the crown as the Philippine Amateur Open Golf Championship presented by the MVP Sports Foundation gets going today at Wack Wack’s East course.

Carlos, 20, is out to finally nail the elusive win after finishing second to Gregory Foo in Canlubang last year and to Korean Wang Jeung Hun at Riviera in 2010.

“Something like four-under overall could be very tough to do over a course like this one,” said Carlos, referring to the tough, challenging layout. “You can’t gamble too much, you have to be very patient, otherwise, the course can really punish you.”

Zaragosa, meanwhile, enjoyed one of his finest moments in a men’s tournament when he ruled the match play edition of the event two years ago.

Others expected to contend for the crown in the event serving as the first leg of the NGAP-PLDT Group Philippine Amateur Tour are rising stars Gabriel Manotoc, Basti Lorenzo and Andres Saldana.

Singapore’s A-team is also in the field sans Foo, who has begged off from defending the crown due to his obligations with the Singaporean military.

The event is backed by Pancake House, Titleist, Golf Depot, Pacsports and Autohub, the official transport service provider of the event for the foreign delegates.

The centerpiece men’s event will have cuts in the first and third rounds with the top 50 scorers and ties advancing to the second round and the top 25 getting to play in the final 18 holes on Thursday.