U-Bix pro-am draws stellar cast

A star-studded field of 110 teams is competing in the U-Bix-Riviera National Pro-Am with Noli Kempis and Erwin Vinluan coming back to defend the championship.

The tournament, a revival of the now-gone Fort Bonifacio Pro-Am, will be played Nov. 13-16 at the Riviera Golf and Country Club’s Couples Course.

A Celebrity Pro-Am will be held Nov. 12 to kick off the tournament sponsored by U-Bix Corp., Konica Corp., Cafee Appassionato, San Miguel Corp. and PAGCOR.

Kempis and Vinluan saw Juanito Pagunsan and his son Juvic self-destruct in the closing holes to score a dramatic victory at the nearby Langer Course last year.

Cash prizes and gift certificates totaling P1 million are up for grabs with the professionals competing for P800,000 and their partners for P200,000.

Awaiting the pro winner is P138,200 with his partner getting P23,220. Other top pro prizes are P92,860 for second, P54,460 third, P44,860 fourth and P38,460 fifth.

Other notable teams are Cassius Casas-Col. Alex Ignacio, Cesar Ababa-Philip Tanchi, Caloy Nival-Jun Bernis, Raul Miñoza-Paul Miñoza and Peter Miñoza-Col. Wilson Amper.

Also vying are the tandems of Riviera general manager John Blanch and Eric Gozo, golf director Lewis Rissman-Bobby Celestino, Roger Antonio-Mario Naval and Vince Lauron-Paul Salvador.

U-Bix president Bert Bravo launched the event in coordination with Riviera president Danny Pizarro last year mainly to "revive a unique tournament and help our professionals."

"The pro-am is one of our interesting tournaments with the format of one-ball, twosome," Bravo said. "It is one event where teamwork is a must because each member hits one ball alternately."

"I agreed when Bert told me of reviving the tournament," Pizarro said. "Besides, our touring professionals are starving for competition. I hope our U-Bix-Riviera National Pro-Am will help them."