RP Open to be held this year -- Feliciano

The Philippine Open, the country's most prestigious golf championship whose staging this year has been jeopardized following the breakdown of talks between the National Golf Association of the Philippines and the Asian PGA Tour Ltd., will definitely be held this year.

Rod Feliciano assured this yesterday upon his assumption of the presidency of the NGAP, stressing that the RP Open will have to be staged at all costs -- with or without the blessings of the Asian PGA Tour Ltd. and with or without foreign players in the fold.

"Even if we don't get any agreement with the APGA, and even if only for our local players, the RP Open will definitely be held this year," said Feliciano.

He, however, added that they don't have yet a list of venues at this stage although the owners of the Fairways and Bluewaters in Boracay have already signified their intention to host the fabled event.

Feliciano, the courier-service DHL bossman, was elected president of the NGAP during the association's annual council meeting and elections yesterday at the Philippine Navy Golf Club. The former NGAP vice president will serve for the next two years.

Others elected were former NGAP director for international affairs Benny Gopez as vice president, Wack Wack's Freddie Masigan as secretary-general, Riviera's Danny Pizarro as auditor while Alice LL Andrada retains her post as treasurer.

Former president Rep. Eduardo Ermita stepped down after serving the association, the governing body for golf in the country, for three terms although he will continue to serve the NGAP as honorary vice chairman with Transportation and Communications Secretary Jun Rivera as the honorary chairman.

Although he said he doesn't have any plans at the moment and will only get to meet the new board next month, Feliciano vowed to draw up funds from various corporate sponsors to ensure the staging of the Philippine Open.

The uncertainty of holding this year's RP Open came about after the Asian PGA Tour Ltd., which is contractually bound to stage the event up to this year, went on with the Casino Filipino Open last Feb. 17-20, the original schedule of the RP Open, at the Manila Southwoods.

Under the contract, the date and the venue of the event should be decided by both the Asian PGA Tour Ltd. and the NGAP, but the latter refused to hold it at the Manila Southwoods, prompting the former to stage the Casino Filipino Open instead.

In refusing to hold it at the Carmona layout, the NGAP cited Manila Southwoods' failure to settle its long-standing debts (annual dues) amounting to P1.4 million.

But with Feliciano at the helm, the NGAP, he said, will be trying to bring back all the clubs into its fold "for the sake of RP golf."

The NGAP has 58 regular member clubs but only 37 are in good standing.

"It is for this reason why we want to talk with all the delinquent clubs. The NGAP is for them," said Feliciano.