Murakami eyes back-to-back TCC plum

MANILA, Philippines - Artemio Murakami hopes to keep the momentum of his inspiring victory in the recent Asian Tour Qualifying School Final Stage as he tries to make it two-in-a-row in the rich The Country Club Invitational unfolding Jan. 28 at the posh The Country Club in Laguna.

Murakami routed the star-studded field in posting a record 13-shot romp over former Philippine Open champion Angelo Que last year and his recent Asian Tour elims feat should give him the needed push to go for a second straight championship in what has become the country’s golfing major, which offers a record P4.7 million total pot.

“It is always good to start a season with a victory and hopefully it will spur me on to more success this year,” said Murakami, who regained his Asian Tour card in grand fashion when he topped the final stage of the elims last week.

Three other RP bets - Ferdie Aunzo, Marvin Dumandan and Jay Bayron - also made the grade for this year’s Asian Tour and will be in TCC roster along with the rest of the country’s top shotmakers, ensuring a spirited battle for the top purse of P1.45 million in the four-day championship put up by golf patron Ricky Razon, chairman and CEO of International Container Terminal Services, Inc.

Elmer Salvador, the Order of Merit winner in last year’s revival of the pro circuit, heads the slew of challengers out to foil Murakami’s back-to-back title bid, including two-time TCC winner Juvic Pagunsan, veteran Frankie Miñoza and the four other former champions of the event - Cassius Casas, Tony Lascuña, Jerome Delariarte and Que.

Meanwhile, a banner roster of players from the business sector and other fields will team up with the pros in the traditional pro-am tournament, an 18-hole event set Jan. 27 which serves as a prelude to the TCC Invitational.

The event will also serve as the kickoff leg of the 2010 Philippine Golf Tour, Inc., which staged a 10-leg circuit over the country’s top courses last year with Salvador and Pagunsan winning two legs each.