Phl eyes end to Putra Cup slump in Sherwood

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines hopes to cash in on the so-called home court edge as it seeks to snap a long title drought when it hosts the Putra Cup, otherwise known as the Southeast Asian Amateur Golf Team Championship, at Sherwood Hills Golf and Country Club in Cavite in June.

National Golf Association of the Phl president Tommy Manotoc and ASEAN Golf Federation secretary general Datuk Zain Yusuf sealed the hosting rights of the annual event last Saturday at the Resorts World Manila.

The Phl last hosted the event in 2007 with Thailand winning the championship and Singapore’s Quincy Quek copping the individual crown.

The Filipinos last reigned in the event back-to-back from 1995-96 in Malaysia and Burma.

The Malaysia Golf Association owns the Putra Cup, one of the oldest events in the region, and Datuk Zain was only too happy to award the hosting rights to the Philippines, especially after being taken to a tour of Sherwood Hills and its facilities.

Incidentally, Manotoc was also named the president of the Asean Golf Federation, an honor given to the president of the host country’s golf association.

“I must congratulate Tommy and the NGAP for a fantastic arrangement (of the venue and its amenities),” said Datuk Zain. “The participating countries will surely enjoy our tournament. We’re all excited to come and play in the Philippines,” said the AGF SecGen.

The event will just be one of several major amateur tilts that Sherwood will accommodate as its president, Harry Paltongan, has opened the club’s doors to practically all projects of the NGAP to help in the development of the sport in the country. Other NGAP upcoming tournaments to be held at Sherwood Hills are the official national Philippine Junior Amateur Open Golf Championship (May 2-5), the Philippine Junior Amateur Closed Golf Championship (June 6-9) and the Philippine Amateur Closed Golf Championship  (June 13-16) which are all under the PLDT Group National Amateur Golf Tour.