Foreign bets sign up for NGAP jungolf

MANILA, Philippines - A number of foreigners in both the boys’ and girls’ divisions have signed up for the NGAP’s Philippine Junior Amateur Championship presented by the MVP Sports Foundation which gets going Tuesday at Sherwood Hills in Cavite.

South Korean expat Kim Tae-woo, a 16-year-old and a 3-handicapper playing out of Royal Northwoods in Bulacan, heads the foreign challenge in the boys division of the 72-hole stroke play event serving as part of the PLDT Group Amateur Tour.

Indonesian Rivani Sihotang, a 5-handicapper, is in the girl’s event where the entire ICTSI squad led by world junior campaigners Mikhaela Fortuna, Bernice Olivares-Ilas and Abegail Arevalo are the favorites.

Kristopher Arevalo, who won the World 13-14 crown in San Diego last year, and former champion Rupert Zaragosa will spearhead the local challenge in the event backed by Pancake House, PacSports and Golf Depot.

Arevalo is looking to win the first national championship of his career, while Zaragosa will be gunning to win for the second time in the last four years.

Ming Ung-park, a Korean playing out of Sherwood, won this event last year while Gio Gandiongco, now in the US on a golfing scholarship, topped the field in 2012.

Jelbert Gamolo, Aaron Anasco and Marlon Santiago, products of Del Monte’s grassroots program in Bukidnon, are also expected to contend for the title along with Gabriel Manotoc and Lanz Uy.

Special divisions in the boy’s bracket – the 13-under and the 18-21 – will be held as the NGAP aims to accommodate, and expose, as many players to a high-magnitude tournament as possible.

Philippine team member Justin Quiban and Jonas Magcalayo are entered in the older bracket.