Phl Amateur under way at Wack Wack

MANILA, Philippines - The 2011 Philippine Amateur Closed Golf Championship fires off today at Wack Wack’s East course with a top-caliber cast in both the men’s and women’s divisions slugging it out for top honors.

Jobim Carlos, Clyde Mondilla and Zannie Boy Gialon head the men’s roster while the star-studded ICTSI squad of Dottie Ardina, Chihiro Ikeda, Jayvie Agojo and Andrea Unson fight it out in the ladies side of the week-long event presented by Pancake House and SOC Land.

The top 32 players in the men’s division and the top 16 in the women’s side after the 36-hole stroke play qualifying round will advance to the match play phase of the tournament organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Phils. and backed by Great Depot, Callaway and Odyssey Golf.

“The National Golf Association of the Philippines is very grateful to the benevolence of Wack Wack, through its president, Philip Ella Juico. Such a high-caliber tournament couldn’t have found a better host,” NGAP sec-gen Jun Arceo.

The fabled East layout is expected to challenge the competing field with its long yardage, tight fairways, menacing bunkers and sleek putting surface.

While Carlos, Mondilla and Gialon are tipped to lead the chase for the men’s title, focus will also be Ruperto Zaragosa III, who ruled the Junior Closed championship at Alabang last week. The reigning 11-12 Junior World champion beat Andres Saldana for the junior plum.

Keen competition is also expected in the ladies category with Ikeda, the reigning Philippine Ladies Open champion and winner of the recent Johor Am, Ardina, Agojo and Unson all raring to go for the national crown.

Also in the fold are Lovelynn Guioguio, who ruled the Sarawak Amateur Championship in Malaysia three weeks ago, and Sarah Ababa, winner of the South Island U-19 crown in New Zealand who also teamed up with Agojo to capture the NZ Foursomes crown recently.