Sta. Elena Cup invitational under way

CABUYAO, Laguna, Philippines – A five-day fiesta begins at the exclusive Sta. Elena Golf Club today with 540 players vying for honors in the 14th Sta. Elena Cup member-guest tournament presented by Lexus and Omega here.

Sta. Elena’s superbly conditioned course, considered one of the country’s best, is the main lure of this invitational competition ending Sunday even as participants must brace for the challenge of the lightning-fast greens.

“It’s going to be easily an 11 on the stimp (meter),” said course superintendent Tim Walker of the speed of the greens, noting that the hot weather will make them dry and even faster later in the day.

Lexus Manila is raising the stakes with an offer of an IS 300 luxury sedan worth at least P2.9 million for a hole-in-one on the seventh and 17th holes while Omega is providing more than a million worth of top-of-the-line watches for the tournament raffle.

Two shotgun tee-offs, one at 7 a.m. and another at 12 noon, involving the first wave of players in the Wednesday-Friday schedule usher in the event. Those playing tomorrow will finish their rounds Saturday while the Friday first round group gets done Sunday.

Club president Bryan Cockrell, club captain Edward Tiu and director Rico Tantoco head the Sta. Elena VIPs while Lexus chairman Alfred Ty, Lexus president Danny Isla, Pepsi Co. country manager Varun Berry and Baron Travel president Len Yaptangco are among sponsors playing.

Bones Floro and King Stehmeier are back to defend their overall title and will be up against noted teams among them reigning club champion Jet Mathay-Sammy Sy, Iggy Clavecilla-Mari Hechanova, Manoling Chan-Alex Prieto and Richie Garcia-Montito Garcia.

Royal Carribean, Baron Travel, Gatorade Tiger, Sta. Elena Properties Inc, Johnnie Walker, Novellino wines and Mizuno are the other major sponsors of the Sta. Elena Cup.