BCC, John Hay ready for Fil-Am tilt

MANILA, Philippines - The Baguio Country Club and the Camp John Hay courses have been spruced up to championship form, ensuring a spirited chase for top honors in all divisions in the 64th San Miguel Fil-Am Men’s golf tournament which got going yesterday at Baguio City’s twin courses.

The BCC, a short but tricky course, remains to be as daunting with its up-and-down, tight layout and its tee mounds renovated and some yards added to the par-4 No. 3, thus making it all the more challenging.

The nearby par-69 John Hay course, which hosted legs in this year’s ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour and the ICTSI Ladies Pro Tour, has also been toughened up the last few weeks for the big event.

“We prepared early to make sure it would be challenging. BCC is known for its narrow fairways and unpredictable greens – a complete opposite because CJH sports the more slippery-kind of greens,” said CJH golf director Jerome Delariarte and BCC PR manager Andrew Pinero.

With the Fil-Am running for about 12 days, Baguio is set to earn anywhere between P10-15 million in revenues, including hotel accommodations, food, transportation and other expenses each of the 1,200 expected participants to compete and their guests.

“Hotels are usually full on Fil-Am week. That has been the norm in the last decade,” said Pinero.

Four teams are seeking to repeat as champions in the annual event, backed by San Miguel as title sponsor, with Forest Hills out to complete a back-to-back romp in the centerpiece Fil Championship.

Forest Hills nipped Mizuno for the crown after the latter made a final round infraction. Matikas, Camp John Hay and Nueva Ecija are the other teams gearing up for title repeat in what has been considered as the biggest in terms of participation.

The Antipolo-based team is expected to lean on Edsel Tan, Kim In-jae, Kim Jin-ho, Raffy Garcia and Edgar Lee while veteran campaigner Thirdy Escano will spearhead Matikas 83’s title-retention drive in the Am Championship in regular play.

Camp John Hay and Nueva Ecija, meanwhile, go for repeats in the Fil and Am seniors, respectively.

The seniors and regular flights F, G and H will be held Nov. 24-30 while the regular Flight A to E and the Championship division is set Dec. 3 following a two-day break in the championship.