Romero, GlobalPort make historic stint in US Open Polo Championship

MANILA, Philippines — History beckons GlobalPort as it takes on the veritable who’s who in the world of polo when it begins its US Open Polo Championship campaign on Wednesday, March 26, (Thursday, March 27, Manila time) in Wellington, Florida.

The first-ever Philippine-based team to set foot in the most prestigious grounds of Wellington, the crew led by Mikee Romero is facing a tough mountain to climb in the group stage after being drawn in Bracket I, which will be pitted against the group of death Bracket II.

Two former US Open champion teams banner Bracket II in La Dolfina Tamera and Park Place with the former set to provide the first acid test to GlobalPort on the opening day of the $100,000 tournament.

“Luck of the draw again. We are up against a bracket of death. Against two former champion teams of the US Open. First game against La Dolfina Tamera headed by considered to be the GOAT of Polo or the Michael Jordan of Polo, Adolfo Cambiaso,” said the outgoing 1Pacman Party-list representative.

After La Dolfina Tamera, GlobalPort will lock horns with BTA on Sunday, March 30, before it wraps up its group assignments against the other former US Open titlist Park Place on Saturday, April 5.

“Our game against BTA would be the highlight of the day, but it will just be the start of a tough climb as we battle Park Place next which is a former champion,” said Romero, who once served as godfather of amateur basketball in 2007.

But no matter what happens in what perhaps the biggest polo event, Romero’s GlobalPort is already assured of a place in PH sports history. Its participation in the US Open is already a testament to its growing influence international polo especially in the Asian region.

And Romero is the first Filipino player to do so.

La Dolfina Tamera is bannered by World No. 1 player Adolfo Cambiaso Jr. along with teammates Alejandro Poma, Diego Cavanag and Matt Copola, and is coming off a title run in the C.V Whitney Cup last month.

Park Place, however, is the overwhelming favorite having the just-concluded US Gold Cup.

But GlobalPort, for its part, is no pushover as aside from Romero, the team will also be banking on world No. 4 Bartolome Castagnola along with Beltran Laulhe, Lucas Diaz Alberdi and substitutes Nico Escobar and Santos Merlos.

The Philippine crew is also coming into the US Open also riding the crest of a championship in the Sterling Cup, where it toppled then defending champion Maltese Falcons in a thrilling 12-11 overtime victory in the finals.

GlobalPort also participated in the Gauntlet of Polo, a trio of top-notch 22-goal championships which also included the US Open. It went as far as the semifinals in the Whitney Cup and finished with a 2-2 record in the groups in the ongoing US Polo Association Gold Cup.

Led by World No. 6 Hilario Ulloa, Park Place, which is also composed of Andrey Borodin, Louis Hine, Mariano “Peke” Gonzales Jr. and substitutes Gabriel Crespi and Nicolas Sivori.

Joining GlobalPort in Bracket I are Clearwater and La Dolfina Catamount.