11th LaSalle-Ateneo golfest set in Bacolod City this July

CEBU, Philippines - The 11th La Salle-Ateneo Golf Classic Cebu was officially launched yesterday at the Cebu Country Club, but there is a major twist this year.

Host One La Salle Cebu Alumni Association, which alternates taking care of the annual event with the Ateneo Alumni Association Cebu Chapter, is taking the event to Bacolod City.

Ateneo holds a huge edge in the battle for supremacy and bragging rights winning the overall title nine out of the ten times that it has been held.

La Salle’s lone overall title came in the 6th edition played at Cebu Country Club.

Balamban Councilor Dave John Karamihan, the interim president of OLSCAA, said that they hope that by taking the tournament to Bacolod, a known bailiwick of La Sallians, they can turn their team’s fortune around this year.

Lawyer Jovi Neri, one of the co-golf directors of the Ateneo alumni, said that there are also several Ateneo alumni in Bacolod aside from those who would be going there from other parts of the country to help them defend their title.

To qualify for the tournament, a player must have studied in either a La Salle Brothers or a Jesuit School for at least two school years. Those who are alumni of the two schools can choose which team to play for.

There will be three categories for those with club certified handicaps while those without official handicaps will play in the open class, which shall use the Blind Callaway format.

Players are advised to bring their handicap certifications for June 1.

Registration fee for the tournament is pegged at P2,500, said Robert Paul ‘Bobby’ Martinez.

He said that aside from two rounds of golf at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club, this shall also entitle the player to a tournament giveaway and a chance to win in the raffles.

The tournament will be played on July 6 and 7. There will be a shotgun start.

Toby Florendo, co-golf director of Ateneo, said that they expect a lot of players from their end to join the tournament.

This tournament is the lone surviving battle on the fairways between the alumni of the two archrival schools.

The theme for this year is “Green or Blue…It’s our time to shine together.”

Aside from an event meant to foster camaraderie among the alumni of the two institutions, the funds raised from the tournament will also be used for charity projects.

To register online for the event, log in to http://lagcc.sugbutriathlon.com.—NLQ (FREEMAN)