Pinoys begin Nomura Cup campaign

MANILA, Philippines — A four-cornered battle among defending champion Thailand, Australia, Japan and Korea looms with host Philippines out to pull off a surprise in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Team Championship otherwise known as the Nomura Cup starting Tuesday at Manila Southwoods in Carmona, Cavite.

Thailand returns to the event five years since its breakthrough victory in Kuala Lumpur with a rookie-laden squad bannered by Pongsapak Laopakdee, a member of the last Junior Presidents Cup International team.

Japan, eyeing its second win in the last three stagings, will be led by Yuta Sugiura who at No. 32 is the highest rated player in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.

Korea, the 2009 champion, fields Yubin Jang, Hyun Uk Kim and Dong Hyun Moon.

The Philippine campaign will be bannered by Kristoffer Arevalo, Elee Bisera and Coby Rolida. Bisera and Rolida are out to make their national team debuts a memorable one before a hometown crowd.