Celebrities to grace ICTSI-Riviera pro-am

MANILA, Philippines - Actor Tonton Gutierrez and five other celebrities hook it up with the leading pros in the land as they compete in the ICTSI-Riviera Classic pro-am May 18 at Riviera’s Couples course in Silang, Cavite.

Gutierrez is seeking a second straight victory in the side event of the P1 million tournament after teaming up with Glydel Mercado and pro Tony Lascuna in topping the Sherwood Hills Golf Classic at Sherwood Golf Club last March.

Other celebrities seeing action in the 18-hole tournament are Jake Roxas, Paolo Santos, Anthony Suntay, Gary Lim and Jeffrey Bernales while guests from the business sector and other fields and backers of the sponsoring ICTSI are also in the fold.

The traditional pro-am serves as the kickoff stage of the 54-hole pro tournament, which fires off May 19 with Marvin Dumandan also out to make it back-to-back after ruling the second leg of the 11-leg ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour at Sherwood.

But the battle for the top P200,000 purse is expected to be fierce with a number of talented shotmakers also in the roster of the tournament, organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc., including reigning Philippine Open champion Elmer Salvador, Juvic Pagunsan, Angelo Que, Artemio Murakami, Jay Bayron and Lascuna.

A total of 80 pros and 16 amateurs are competing in the third leg of the ICTSI-PGT circuit, backed by MJ Carr GolfManagement, Jaguar, Land Rover, Studio 23, Balls TV, Srixon/ClevelandGolf, Callaway Golf and Golf Punk.

Meanwhile, the fourth leg, dubbed the ICTSI-Forest Hills Championship, will be played May 26-28 at the Forest Hills Golf Club in Antipolo, keeping the pros busy after a two-month break.

Other pros tipped to crowd the favorites are Antonio Asistio II, Ferdie Aunzo, Rufino Bayron, Michael Bibat, Jerome Delariarte, Gene Bondoc, Anthony Fernando, Benjie Magada, Mars Pucay, Danny Zarate, Rey Pagunsan and the comebacking former RP Open winner Gerald Rosales.