RP vies in star-studded Spirit Am

A crack Philippine squad composed of the best amateur players in the land spearheads the country’s bid in the second The Spirit International Amateur Golf Championship which fires off at the Whispering Pines Club in Trinity, Texas Wednesday (Thursday in Manila).

Reigning back-to-back champion Jerome Delariarte and former SEA Games gold medallist Juvic Pagunsan compete against the finest amateur players in the world in the men’s event while Carmelette Villaroman and Lora Roberto banner the RP bid in the women’s side of this four-day tournament which gathers the top 20 teams in the 2002 World Amateur Team Championship in Malaysia.

Only on its second year, The Spirit, which alternates years with the World Amateur Team Championship, has gained international recognition as a premiere international amateur golf event. The low 20 countries from the World Amateur have been invited along with four others, making the event’s playing field of 48 men and 48 women highly-competitive.

Mexico won the inaugural staging of this event held to promote amateur golf for the benefit of charity.

The Spirit player field features many of the top international men and women players. The men’s field is loaded with international talent, led by current US men’s amateur champion Nick Flanagan of Australia; Canada’s James Lepp who has won a Canadian Tour event as an amateur; Gary Wolstenholme, 2003 British Amateur champion; and four-time Walker Cup member Christian Schunck.

The women’s side includes Emma Duggleby, 2003 English Women’s champion; Ursula Tuutti, 2003 Finnish stroke and match play champion; Anna Laing, 2003 Scottish Ladies Amateur champion; Tanica Van As, 2003 South African stroke and match play champion; and Violeta Retamoza, who teamed up with current LPGA Tour campaigner Lorena Ochoa to power Mexico to gold medal honors in the inaugural staging of this event.

But the Filipinos are unfazed by their rivals’ credentials and are confident of dishing out big games in a bid to improve on their 15th place finish in the inaugurals two years ago. Skippered by Danilo Pizarro, the team’s stint here is backed by Philippine Airlines, Mizuno and the National Golf Association of the Philippines.

Villaroman, a former RP Ladies Open champion, was a member of that squad that included Solomon Gines, Gene Bondoc and reigning RP Ladies Open titlist Heidi Chua.