RP bets resume jungolf bid

PALM Springs, California — Nineteen Filipino jungolfers resume their campaign in the United States when they see action in the Palm Desert Junior Classic golf championships blasting off Monday (Tuesday in Manila) in three different courses here.

Focus will be on Andie Unson, who became the darling of the RP contingent in the Callaway Junior World last week in nearby San Diego when she finished second in the girls 6-8 years, and two other top guns, Wolen Juan Superal and Dottie Ardina.

Interestingly, Unson, will be going up against Ardina and another more seasoned compatriot Ma. Christina Potenciano in the girls 10 years and under class at the Landmark Golf Club.

Philippine entries will also be vying for honors in the boys 8-9 years and boys 7-under also at Landmark, the boys 10-11 years, girls 11-12 and girls 13-15 at the Pete Dye-designed Westin Mission Hills course and the boys 14-15 and boys 12-13 at the Mission Hills Country Club.

Superal and Jobim Carlos are entered in the boys 10-11 division while Miguel Tabuena, sixth placer in the Junior World, is among the favorites in the boys 8-9 category. Also competing are Gino Bunyi, Geleen Handog, Terence Macatangay, Aran Olea, JP de Claro, Bino dela Paz, JR Gonzales, Christian Ricohermoso, Debbie de Villa, Mia Piccio, Linnel de Villa, Andrea Legaspi, and Mikee Camitoc.

"We hope to do better here than the Junior World because of the age classifications that tend to favor some of our kids," said Gerry Handog, president of the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines.

The contingent sponsored by Philippine Airlines, Samsung, Airlift Asia, Global Lighting, MCCI and the Philippine Sports Commission is fresh from posting one of its strongest performances in recent years in the Junior World where six landed in the Top 6 and 15 of 26 advanced to the final round.

The Desert Classic is one of the six major junior events in the RP kids’ US itinerary. They are also set to play in the Optimist International in Florida and the US Kids World Championship in Williamsburg, Virginia.