Minus Que, RP golf team still solid

Even without the presence of reigning amateur champion Angelo Que, the national golf team will have enough power to retain the men’s title in the 21st Southeast Asian Games scheduled this September in Kuala Lumpur.

Rod Feliciano, president of the National Golf Association of the Philippines, yesterday expressed optimism that the team they will field for the biennial games will be just as competent despite the absence of Que, who recently bolted the national team after questioning the way its members were picked.

"Our chances of winning are just like those of the rest. We have good boys in the team and Angelo should have been one of them. We should be positive about our chances because as long as there’s life, there’s hope," said Feliciano during the PSA Forum at the Holiday Inn Hotel.

Iggy Clavecilla, chairman of the NGAP training committee, also expressed confidence that this year’s SEA Games squad is capable of duplicating its victory in Brunei two years ago. "We can win with this team. If you can only watch them in practice, you will see for yourselves how capable this team is," he said.

Que, the back-to-back national amateur champion, also attended the forum and said he had up his mind to leave the team after his good friend and Manila Southwoods teammate Cookie La’O was excluded from the SEA Games roster despite finishing third in the Order of Merit of the National Amateur Golf Circuit. The top four players of the circuit were supposed to make the team.

Feliciano, however, said this was not the case. "Not because you’re a good ball-striker means you’re the best player to represent the country. It takes more than that. It takes discipline, good conduct and the right attitude aside from being a good player. There’s more than meets the eye," he said.

Aside from Que, the other members of the team earlier formed by the NGAP are reigning DHL champion and Canlubang standout Juvic Pagunsan, Uratex National Caddies titlist Jay Bayron, NAGC Mimosa leg winner Marvin Dumandan and the promising Gene Bondoc as alternate.

With Que now out of the team, the NGAP has yet to decide on his replacement although insiders said it might be Boyet Zaragoza.