Tolentino, Arevalo lead quest for Phl doubles title

MANILA, Philippines - Reigning world junior champion Kristopher Arevalo teams up with Raymart Tolentino as they lead the chase for the Group I crown in the NGAP’s National Doubles championship presented by the MVP Sports Foundation unfolding today at Eastridge in Binangonan, Rizal.

Tipped to foil the Arevalo-Tolentino tandem for top honors in the premier class are Gabriel Manotoc and JP De Claro and brothers Basti and Santiago Lorenzo.

Also up for grabs in the 54-hole event, serving as a leg of the PLDT Amateur Golf Tour and backed by Pancake House, Golf Depot and Pacsports, are the Group II and mid-am division titles.

But focus remains on Arevalo, who ruled the 13-14 class in this year’s Junior World in San Diego, and Tolentino as they try to stamp their class right in the two-ball foursome (alternate shot) format. Play shifts to four-ball (best ball) tomorrow with the final day to use the aggregate format.

One team worth watching is the team made up of Junel Roxas and the comebacking Tonlits Asistio, the former Philippine team spearhead and pro who steered Team Sparta to a runner-up finish in the recent Fil-Am Invitational golf tournament in Baguio.

Asistio also caddied for local pro Charles Hong who finished in the Top 10 of the Asian Tour’s $750,000 Resorts World Manila Masters at Southwoods last month.

The Mid-Am division will feature players who are 30 and above regardless of their handicap indices, while Group II is for players with handicaps of 5.1 and above.