Star-studded nat'l pro-am under way

MANILA, Philippines - The P1 million Davao National Pro-Am unwraps today with eight of the top 10 players on the local tour’s Order of Merit ranking and a host of top amateurs, including a former national champion, vying for top honors at the Apo Golf and Country Club in Davao.

Juvic Pagunsan, winner of four of the first nine legs of the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour and the current OOM frontrunner, heads the chase for the top P172,000 purse in the 54-hole event presented by Samsung, hoping to keep his win streak at the quaint par-72 layout he has mastered the last three years.

The smooth-swinging Bacolod pro has ruled the ICTSI Apo leg for three straight years, including a four-shot romp over homegrown bet Elmer Salvador three weeks ago, making him the player to beat in the event held in coordination with leading retail network Emcor.

But Pagunsan needs to draw the best from amateur partner Rico Trajano in the alternate shot format where one has to set up a good shot for the other to produce a low score the way Edgar Ababa and Paul Echavez did in beating Dan Cruz and Jerson Balasabas by five in last year’s staging of the event.

Salvador, No. 2 in the OOM derby, is teaming up with Ludwig Ledesma, No. 3 Tony Lascuña is with Jun Serado, while No. 4 Jhonnel Ababa has partnered with Benjie Leparto.

No. 5 Mhark Fernando, fresh from his maiden pro victory at ICTSI Del Monte last week, has tapped Bong Cabang as his partner, reigning OOM champion Jay Bayron will team up with Alemar Etrone, while No. 9 Orlan Sumcad has partnered with Bien Cerbo.

Frankie Miñoza, the former two-time Philippine Open champion, makes a rare appearance on a local tournament as he teams up with Ting Castillo in the event backed by Kawasaki, Apo Golf and Country Club, Cargo Serv, Goetz, Transworld, Malayan Insurance, Dasia Security, LVL Construction and Vigor Construction.

Other teams fancied to contend for the crown are Cassius Casas-Benjie Senining, Ferdie Aunzo-Monchit Macay, Marvin Dumandan-Anthony Sasin and Anthony Fernando-Larry Pasquil.

Clyde Mondilla, the national champion in 2010 and spearhead of the Del Monte team that ruled this year’s PAL Interclub, will be with his father Ondoy while Jimmy Bayron and Peter Villaber tapped two lady partners in Sarah Ababa and Apple Fudolin, respectively.

The tournament is supported by Skygo, Camel, JD Alvarado Architects, RDV Printing, Koppel, Unicenter, The Hive, Business Mirror, Microtel Davao, Air Philippines Express, Footjoy and Titleist by Empire Golf, Mizuno, Custom Clubmakers, Glucoscare and Omnisource Int’l.