Malaysians join title hunt in RP Amateurs

MANILA, Philippines - Four Malaysians are in town to join the chase for top honors in the 2009 Philippine Amateur Golf Championships presented by Samsung which gets under way Wednesday at the Eastridge Golf Club in Binangonan, Rizal.

Mohd Iylia Jamil and Kenneth De Silva try to spoil the locals’ party in the men’s division while fellow national team members Ainil Johani Bakar and Joanne Lagan seek to crowd the favorites in the ladies side of the event sponsored by Samsung and organized by the National Golf Association of the Phils.

JAinil is coming off a victory in the recent Sabah Amateur Open where she shared top honors with Filipino Jhonnel Ababa, who ruled the men’s division.

That makes them serious threats in this week’s event conducted by the NGAP and Professional Sports Management Group that also features the likes of Rufino Bayron, Antonio Asistio, Dante Becierra and Peter Villaber of the ICTSI golf stable and Calatagan bets Mark Fernando, Alvin Engino and Jerson Balasabas.

Meanwhile, the Eastridge layout has been spruced up to championship condition and is expected to provide a different kind of challenge for the competing field.