Stellar field vies in Seniors, Mid-Am tilts

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Senior Amateur and Mid-Am Championships get going today with around 80 players slugging it out for top honors in various divisions at the Mt. Malarayat Golf and Country Club in Lipa, Batangas.

Former champions Francis Gaston, Dave Hernandez and Rolly Viray banner a stellar field, which also includes Philippine Sports Commission chair Richie Garcia, who will be vying in the Open division for players 60 and above.

Iggy Clavecilla, a many-time seniors champion, makes his first competitive tournament in close to a year, hoping to come up with a strong start following an accident in South Korea.

Focus, however, will be on Gaston and Viray, two of a handful of players who boast of the men’s Philippine Am and seniors crowns.

Others expected to contend for the championship in the 54-hole tournament organized by the National Golf Association of the Philippines and backed by Pancake House, Nike, Golf Depot and Pacsports are Mining Maravilla, Lino Magpantay and Pepot Iñigo of Luisita.

 Cangolf’s Tony Olives, Bing Bunye and Mari Hechanova, head the team from Canlubang Golf and Country Club while Clifford Celdran and Jeric Hechanova, the past and current managers of Cebu Country Club, have also signed up for the annual event featuring the country’s leading golfing seniors and top Mid-Am players.

The Mid-Am is for players aged 30 and above and will have three divisions, with the Open allowing for scratch players and Division II for 30-54 years old with indices of 7.0 to 12.0.

Division III of the Mid-Am will be for players with handicaps of 12.1 but not more than 18.0.