GMA, FVR invited to RP Open pro-am

President Arroyo has been invited to grace tomorrow the DHL 88th Philippine Open pro-am golf tournament at the Langer Course of the Riviera Golf Club in Silang, Cavite.

The country’s Chief Executive is scheduled to hit the ceremonial tee-off at 7 a.m. in the event serving as the prelude to the DHL RP Open set Feb. 26-29, also at Riviera’s Langer layout.

Joining President Arroyo in the presidential flight are former President Fidel Ramos, DHL Philippine country manager Charles Brewer and top Filipino pro Frankie Minoza.

Minoza, who won the 1998 edition of the fabled event at Langer’s adjacent Couples course, heads the crack 159-player field in the $150,000 tournament that includes former champions Gerald Rosales, Cassius Casas and Robert Pactolerin.

The winning pro tomorrow will get P25,000 in the star-studded affair that will also reward the first amateur to score an ace on No. 17 a state-of-the-art BMG Solar water heater.

Mitsubishi Motors, a perennial backer of the RP Open, is likewise staking a brand new Mitsubishi Lancer car as a hole-in-one prize on No. 4.

Rod Feliciano, president of the organizing National Golf Association of the Philippines, will be in the other VIP flight of Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita and Riviera board chairman Cesar Jayme Jr. with possibly Canadian and defending champion Rick Gibson as their pro.

Among those in the 40 teams taking part in the pro-am are Pagcor’s Efraim Genuino, U-Bix’s Bert Bravo and San Miguel Corp.’s Ira Maniquiz as well as officials of the sponsoring Mitsubishi Motors, WWW Express, IMX Next Mobile and Manila North Tollways Corp.

The top 20 players of the Asian Tour and the country’s top 20 pros will be paired with three amateurs in tomorrow’s tournament to be teed-off shotgun style at 7:30 a.m.