Phl Am Closed tilt under way at Sherwood

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Amateur Closed Championship unwraps today with the leading and rising players in the ranks battling it out for top honors at the challenging Sherwood Hills Golf and Country Club in Cavite.

Gio Gandionco, who anchored Cebu Country Club’s title romp in the recent PAL Interclub, heads the field in the five-day tournament featuring a 36-hole stroke play elims in the first two days before action shifts to match on Friday.

Focus will also be on the girls’ side with Dottie Ardina going up against ICTSI teammates Lovelynn Guioguio, Jayvie Agojo and Sunshine Baraquiel and Del Monte’s Eva Miñoza and Apple Fudolin, AFP Golf Club’s Bianca Pagdanganan and Frankie Miñoza Golf Foundation’s Rainstar Roque and Riviera’s Jan Punzalan.

Ardina, priming up for her defense of the Queen Sirikit individual crown, topped the WWWExpress-DHL Open recently while Guioguio is going for a sweep after ruling the Philippine Amateur Open last January.

Also vying for the boys’ crown won by Rupert Zaragosa last year are Jonar Austria, who finished runner-up in the recent WWWExpress-DHL Championship, John Kier Abdon of Southwoods and Andres Saldana of Alabang Country Club.

Zaragosa will not be around to defend the title in the tournament serving as the third leg of the Globe-NGAP amateur circuit after the Philippine Amateur Open and the DHL tilts.

But the field remains as talent-laden as ever with Rogelio Ramir Roque and Francis Morilla of the Frankie Miñoza Golf Foundation, Eagle Ridge’s Lawrence Celestino, Sherwood’s Nestor Plana, Don Petil of AFP Golf Club, Cangolf’s Joey Huerva and Del Monte’s Jose Sajulga joining the title hunt.

The troika of Paul Vesinica, Junio Vesinica and Rene Menor of Iloilo Golf and Country Club are also vying in the event backed by Pancake House, Golf Depot, Titleist and Airphil Express.

Keen competition is also seen in the seniors category with former national player Bing Bunye, Valley Golf’s Bong Vilchez, Caloy Coscolluela of Alabang and Gen. Boni De Castro of AFP Golf Club.

The mid-amateur field, meanwhile, will be led by Sherwood’s Third Escano, Rex Goquingco, Raymond Bunquin, Joel Jose and Erwin Restaba, Sta. Elena’s Jingy Tuason, Apo Golf’s Toffee Tionko, Den Den de Castro and Karloz Alba, Iloilo’s Takayuki Kozono and Cangolf’s Abe Rosal.