WGAP 2009 circuit kicks off April 27

MANILA, Philippines – The Women’s Golf Association of the Phils. (WGAP) kicks off its 2009 circuit on April 27 at the Alabang Country Club with a promise of another spirited battle for top honors among the country’s top lady players from 14 of the leading golf clubs in the country.

Canlubang, which bucked the odds to nip Sta. Elena at the latter’s turf to rule last year’s edition of the annual event, goes for a repeat on a team built around Recy Barrientos, Flordeluna Silao and Lina de Guzman, who swept the top three places in the individual side of the competition last year.

But the Cangolf squad is expected to have its hands full in the eight-leg circuit organized by WGAP with the rest of the field, including Sta. Elena and Tagaytay Highlands, raring to go after completing their respective buildups for the event.

Also in the fold are Alabang, Villamor, Wack Wack, Valley Golf, Manila Golf, Forest Hills, Riviera, Manila Southwoods, Orchard, Phil. Navy and Aguinaldo.

Events on tap are the Classes A, B and C with a maximum of 10 players for each squad in each division with the aggregate best four scores under the Modified Stableford system counting for the team’s score.

Meanwhile, Rio Co was elected president for the second straight year in the recent WGAP elections. Other officers were Claudine Garcia, vice president, Adele Olives, secretary, Tess Staub, treasurer, Marilen Bantug, tournament chair, Nancy Ortiga, handicap committee chair, Marissa Romano, membership committee chair, Lydia Suarez Reyes, PRO, Farah Imperial, prizes committee head, and ex officio Remy Romero Salas.

Forest Hills, that gem of a course in Antipolo, will host the second leg on May 25 with the circuit returning to Villamor after a long absence for the third leg on June 15-16.

The fourth leg will be held at the Riviera in Silang, Cavite on July 13-14 with Manila Southwoods staging the fifth leg on Aug. 3-4.

The Orchard in Dasmarinas, Cavite will take its turn on Sept. 7 before the circuit moves to Canlubang for the penultimate leg on Sept. 21-22. The year-long circuit winds up at Sta. Elena on Oct. 12.