Samsung Am Open unwraps at Summit

MANILA, Philippines - An early clash of the favorites marks the opener of the Samsung Amateur Open today with SEA Games-bound Dottie Ardina and Andie Unson drawing Jayvie Agojo and Miya Legaspi in the featured flight in the ladies division at Summit Point in Lipa, Batangas.

Ardina hopes to add the Samsung Am title to her back-to-back title romp in Malaysian Juniors and Thailand Amateur Open the last three weeks, so does Unson, who is coming off a thrilling victory in last week’s China Amateur Open, as the ICTSI-backed bets, together with Chihiro Ikeda, prime up for next month’s SEA Games in Jakarta.

But they will be up against an 11-year-old wonder, who has made her mark in the US Kids World and the Optimist International with Legaspi out to gain experience and at the same time prove her worth against the veteran campaigners in the blue-ribbon event presented by Samsung Phils.

With Agojo, the alternate in the SEA Games squad, also seeking to nail a follow-up to her Hong Kong Am victory last month, and Ikeda hoping to regain her form, a wide-open battle for top honors looms in the tournament sponsored by Airphil Express, Mizuno, Custom Clubmakers, Footjoy and Titliest by Empire Golf, Loro, Endress+Hauser, Sweet Photolicious, Torch Resto Bar, Bluemansion Enterprise, GlucosCare, Omnisource International and Business Mirror.

Ardina and company will start at 8:42 a.m. on No. 1 while Ikeda is grouped with Bruce, Kang and Miñoza, all hoping to come up with a solid start at the challenging, wind-raked layout for the momentum needed in the 36-hole tournament.

Also in the ladies fold are Sarah Ababa, Lee Ye Rin, Samantha Martinez, Chanelle Avaricio, Sam Bruce, Kang Sun Ju, Eva Miñoza, Sunshine Baraquiel, Jan Punzalan, Lovelyn Guioguio, Daniella Uy, Sheryl Villacencio, Kwon Seoyon, Bianca Pagdanganan, Maggie Rivera, Gretchen Villavicencio and Desiree Salvador.

The fight for the men’s crown is also expected to be fierce with reigning national and junior champion Rupert Zaragosa and Cangolf Am winner Art Arbole of the ICTSI-Cangolf squad and Reymon Jaraula, Zanie Boy Gialon, Alex Nallos and Brent Sumampong of the ICTSI-The Country Club team leading the title race.

Out to foil their bid are Del Monte aces Banny Abaño, Magno Arancon and Francis Morilla, members of the Frankie Miñoza Foundation and Korean players from Riviera, headed by Kim Tae Hwan, Won Yong Hwi, Hwang Kang Youl, Kim Chang Yeon, Park Gyu Ha, Song Seung Hyo and Park Min Ung.