Singapore aces vie in Phil Am Open

MANILA, Philippines - Singapore national team mainstays Gregory Foo and Jerome Ng and reigning Singapore national champion Amelia Yong hit town yesterday, all geared up for a shootout with the cream of the country’s crop in the Philippine Amateur Open Golf Championships unfolding tomorrow at Cangolf’s north course in Laguna.

The 18-year-old Foo, winner of the recent SICC/DBS Junior Invitational, and Ng, the reigning Selangor Amateur Open champion, anchored Singapore’s Putra Cup title romp last year with the duo raring to slug it out with the local aces and other foreign bets in the four-day stroke play championship presented by Globe Telecom, Inc., Pancake House and Airphil Express.

Yong, 19, is also out to prove her worth against the likes of defending champion Andie Unson, who will spearhead the crack roster of ICTSI-backed bets including reigning Queen Sirikit Cup champion Dottie Ardina, former Philippine Ladies Open champion Jayvie Agojo, Sarah Ababa, Sunshine Baraquiel and Samsung Am Open titlist Lovelynn Guioguio.

Yong will be joined in the title hunt by teammate Koh Sock Hwee, who topped last year’s Warren Amateur Open Championship, and Joey Poh, who finished second to Yong in the Singapore National Open.

Also competing in the event, organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Phils. and backed by Tanduay Distillers, Inc. as major sponsor, are Malaysian Albright Chong and a host of Koreans playing out of Riviera, Calatagan, Manila Southwoods and Orchard.

Vivienne Chin, one of Malaysia’s leading players, is also in the ladies fold along with Indonesian Gianti Mahardika and Koreans Lee Ji Eun from Calatagan and Seo Yon Kwon from Riviera.

Other local bets fancied to contend for the ladies crown in the event supported by Club Car, Pacsports, Golf Depot, Autohub and Callaway with Acacia Hotel as official hotel and Titleist as official ball, are Rainstar Roque and Claire Amelia Legaspi along with Chanelle Avaricio, Princess Superal, Ann Therese Sabater, Rachita Vasandani, Pauline del Rosario, Micah Shin, Apple Fudolin, Ping Jarales and veteran campaigner Eva Minoza.

The fight for the men’s crown is also expected to be fierce with Jobim Carlos, who with Raymundo Gonzales dominated the recent NGAP National Doubles Golf Championship, leading the local challenge along with Rupert Zaragosa, the reigning junior and national champion, former national titlist Clyde Mondilla, John Kier Abdon, Art Arbole and Miggy Yee of the ICTSI-Canlubang squad. Cebu’s Lloyd Go and members of the reigning PAL Interclub champion Del Monte, led by Noel Langamin, Magno Arancon and Leonard Lofranco, are also in the fold.

Others vying for the crown are jungolfers Carlos Packing and Lawrence Celestino of Eastridge, Forest Hills’ Raymund Inigo and Joseph Uy, Tagaytay Highlands’ Junro Mamaril, Jama Reyes of Alabang, Wolen Superal, Eugene Bunyi, Rogelio Roque, Miguel Shah of Alabang, Sebastian Lorenzo, Santiago Lorenzo, Gino Brizuela, Justin Quiban and ICTSI’s Miko Alejandro and Brent Sumampong.