Juvic, Elmer head field in P1 million pro-am

MANILA, Philippines - The P1 million Davao National Pro-Am golf tournament unwraps today with the country’s leading players, headed by Juvic Pagunsan, Elmer Salvador and Cassius Casas, heading the chase for top honors with their respective amateur partners at the Apo Golf and Country Club course in Davao City.

Pagunsan, one of the hottest players on the Asian Tour and the top player on the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour, teams up with local business tycoon Jaime “Boy” Tan for one of the crack pairings in this 54-hole event co-presented by Samsung and Emcor.

Salvador and Casas, two of the local tour’s biggest names who honed their skills and talent at the quaint Apo layout, are paired with Jovi Neri and Benjie Senining, respectively, as they join the banner field of 72 tandems in the one-ball, twosome format event marking Samsung’s first foray into professional golf.

Though not part of the ICTSI-PGT circuit, the Davao tourney has attracted most of the top pros, especially the Davaoeños who are taking advantage of the tour break to be with their families here and take a shot at the top prize of P172,000 and the runner-up purse of P160,000.

Emcor president and COO Celso Villegas and Emcor golfing chairman Jimmy del Rosario initiated the holding of the pro-am which also got the support of several companies.

These are Kawasaki, Tri-com, BCLN Golf, LVL Construction, Malayan Insurance, Allegoiance Cargo, Edcon, Mega Joy Trading, Aldwin Oriental Graphics, Canon, Tran World Brokerage Corp., Cargo Serve, MDR, Banbros, Goetz and MSI-ECS.

National players Mhark Fernando and Jhonnel Ababa are also seeing action as well as reigning national amateur champion Clyde Mondilla, who humbled the cream of the crop when he won at his home course at Del Monte recently.

Fernando plays with Albin Engino, Ababa partners with Boyet Saragoza and Mondilla teams up with Boboy Jaraula.

The other top teams with their respective partners are Ferdie Aunzo-Monchit Mackay, Jay Bayron-Etrone Alimar, Mike Bibat-Chad Borja, Marvin Dumandan-Anthony Sasin, Anthony Fernando-Larry Pascual, Tony Lascuña-Martin Castillo and Danny Zarate-Emilio Pedro.