Top amateurs clash as Philippines Juniors tilt unfolds

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Junior Amateur Open Golf Championships gets going today with the country’s leading players and rising stars clashing in a duel of shotmaking and putting at the Sherwood Hills Golf Club in Trece Martires, Cavite.

Though Aidric Chan, Sean Ramos, Josh Jorge, Carl Corpus and Paolo Wong get the top billing in the boys’ centerpiece Albatross (15-18) division, the likes of Joaquin Barro, Joaquin Gomez and Jacob Rolida, both 17, David Guangko, Rald Sarmiento and Joachim Yu are ready to pull off a surprise in the 72-hole stroke play tournament serving as the third leg of this year’s PLDT Group National Amateur Tour.

Also out to spring a surprise are Riggs Illescas, Masaichi Otake and Pierre Ticzon and Koreans Kim Sang Jin, Kwon Tae Yon and Lee Sang Min.

A tight finish is also seen in the girls’ premier side of the event, sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation, PLDT Group, Cignal and Metro Pacific, with reigning WExpress RVP Cup titlist Junia Gabasa leading the roster that also lured Rafaela Singson, Kristine Fleetwood, Sophia Blanco, Isabela Tee, Kayla Nocum and Korean Kang Da Yun.

Meanwhile, listup for the MVPSF Visayas Regional Golf Championship is ongoing with another huge field expected to clash for top honors in the fourth staging of the event on April 8-12 at Cebu Country Club.