Forest Hills seeks repeat in Fil-Am golf

BAGUIO , Philippines   â€“ Forest Hills hopes to make it back-to-back while Mizuno seeks redemption as the two fancied teams gear up for a battle royale in the centerpiece Fil-Championship division of the 64th San Miguel Fil-Am Men’s golf tournament which unfolds tomorrow at the Baguio Country Club and Camp John Hay courses here.

Forest Hills pounced on Mizuno’s final round infraction to snatch last year’s crown, with the Antipolo-based squad vowing to prove its worth and keep the crown behind Gab Atienza, Raffy Garcia, Ronald Littaua, JM Garcia and Peter Young.

Mizuno, which ruled the 2011 edition of this annual event backed by title sponsor San Miguel Corp. and presented by Toyota, will be bannered by former pro Raymond Sangil, amateur ace Justin Limjap, Rodel Mangulabnan and the Stehmeier brothers Ace and King.

“I believe we’ll have our redemption this year. Our players are playing steady the last few weeks and are raring to raise the championship on Saturday. They are quite confident to make it all the way,” said Mizuno manager Lovell Gopez.

Meanwhile, action in Flights A to C in the Fil and Am divisions kicks off today at the BCC and John Hay layouts.

Aside from Forest Hills and Mizuno, other teams vying in the premier category are Team Sparta, Silicon Valley Golfers Link 1, Darwin Golf Club Australia, Camp John Hay, Team Alaska and many-time titlist Manila Southwoods.

In the Am Championship, a wide-open battle for top honors is seen as Matikas 83 opted to skip this year’s staging.

The Mizuno’s All Stars squad, led by Bones Floro and Raymond Bunquin, is one of the teams tipped to contend for the crown. The other members of the squad are former Orchard Golf club champion Tonito Payumo, Denden de Castro and Joaquin Tolentino.

Northwoods Pacsports, meanwhile, boasts of a total team handicap of 3.93 with Richard Joson, Nicholas Santiano, Dennis Gonzales, Von Sarmiento, Masakazu Saso and Bernard Joson making up the team.

Other teams seeing action are Batangas Barakos, Camp Aguinaldo, Villa Cacho, Dugong Bughaw, Che’Lus, and Forest Hills.

The other backers of the event are Wilson, Rudy Project, Empire Golf, Megafiber, Pacsports, BCC, CJH Manor, Poro Point Thunderbird Resorts, Forest Lodge, Le Chef, Rizgolf, CJH Dev. Co., John Hay Coffee Services, University of Baguio, Alveo, North Luzon Expressway, The Residences at Brent, GPS Tracker and GMJ Constructors.