Montecillo jungolf slated at Orchard

MANILA, Philippines - Top caliber talents from all over Asia and the Pacific as well as Canada are coming for the 2013 Philippine Junior Golf Championship (The Montecillo) slated April 2-5 at the challenging Palmer course of the Orchard Golf and Country Club in Dasmariñas, Cavite.

At least 14 countries are expected to be represented in the four-day competitions, proving the growing regional interest on the event organized to honor the late Amalia “Mommy” Montecillo, the lady who planted the seeds for the junior golf movement in Asia.

Already signifying their intention to join host Philippines are Bahrain, Guam, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand, a welcome development that the organizing Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines believed will further cement the status of The Montecillo as one of the top junior events in Asia.

“We’re getting there, The Montecillo is still in a stage of infancy but jungolf associations abroad are beginning to recognize it as a major tournament,” said Luigi Tabuena, president of JGFP

With the International Container Terminal Services Inc. leading the list of sponsors, Tabuena said that it’s all systems go for the third edition of The Montecillo. Also throwing their support behind The Montecillo are the Philippine Golf Foundation, Pancake House, Teriyaki Boy, Sizzlin’ Pepper, Philippine Airlines, Sta. Lucia Realty, Fila, McDonald’s, Duty Free, Acacia Hotel, Golf Depot, PacSports and Inquirer Golf.

Regional power Taiwan has committed to send 14 players, Guam is fielding eight while Singapore is sending six of its top jungolfers into the multi-division championships at the course that grabbed international attention when it hosted the Johnnie Walker Classic in 1995.

Orchard, through its developer Sta. Lucia Realty, is hosting the event for the second straight year with the international field expected to be awed by the excellent course conditions not to mention the many world-class amenities that rank it high among the popular golfing destinations in the country.