High-caliber play in all levels up in Samsung tour

The country’s top amateurs will be kept busy playing high-caliber, full-tournament events with several innovations introduced  to the third season of the Samsung Amateur Tour which kicks off on May 4-7 at the Legends course of the Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club in Carmona, Cavite.

Seven courses all varying in character and in different parts of the national golf map will be hosting the elimination legs of the Tour. And in these legs will be an explosive showdown of the battle-scarred low-handicappers and scratch players who will be put to test with a 72-hole format.

"When there used to be a dearth of full 72-hole events that is really needed to train the so-called talents ready for national duty, I think the Samsung Amateur Tour will address that," said Tour organizer Boy Blue Ocampo.

Samsung Philippines bossman Sang Youl Eom was all for the big change, saying that exposure stints for the crack amateurs and junior players belonging to the training pool of various exclusive clubs are really needed to get them into the next level and even the pro ranks.

The first two legs at Southwoods and Sta. Elena (June 1-4), for instance, will be a duel among the frontliners of the Southwoods and Canlubang stable of talents.

Out-of-town legs at Pueblo del Oro in Cagayan de Oro (July 1-4), Apo in Davao (August 19-22), Mt. Malarayat (Oct. 19-22), John Hay (Nov. 16-19) and Cebu Country Club (Dec. 14-17) are also expected to showcase the best regional talents at the moment.

This year’s co-sponsors include Tokyo Tokyo, Gatorade, Philippine Airlines, Adidas Taylor Made, KZG by Custom Clubmakers, Pink Patio Boracay, Coppertone Sport and Rogin-E.

"Regular participants not just in the championship division or Class A are using their stints in Samsung Tour to find out if they, indeed, belong to their bracket or are even ready for the next level," said Ocampo. "What’s certain is that the caliber of play is very high in all levels."

Entries in each leg gun for the prizes at stake for the top three finishers. The winners also advance to the national finals set on Jan. 18-21, 2005.

For inquiries on the Samsung Tour, please call the PSMG office at 635-0010 or 6315768.