Meralco National doubles unwraps at WW

MANILA, Philippines - Princess Superal hopes to cap a banner season with another victory, this time in team play, as she links up with Daniella Uy in the Meralco National Doubles Amateur (Closed) Championship unfolding today at Wack Wack Golf and Country Club’s West Course.

Superal, the 16-year-old mainstay of the ICTSI-The Country Club squad who had posted nine victories in the season, including three in Malaysia, and Uy set out as the early favorites in the ladies side of the three-day event organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines and serving as the final leg of the Globe Business Amateur Circuit.

But out to foil their bid are Andie Unson, a former Optimist International and China Amateur champion, and partner Lorna Tabuena; Anli Wu and Violeta Pegels; Sam Martinez and Marvi Monsalve; Bianca Pagdanganan and Dana Gonzales; and Mia Legaspi, a five-time US Kids World champion, and Felicia Medalla.

Focus will also be on the men’s side with national team mainstay Jobim Carlos going for back-to-back crown with a new partner in Jonar Austria against a field that includes former teammate Raymond Gonzales, also a member of the national team, who will play alongside top jungolfer Gabriel Manotoc in the premier Group I category of the event sponsored by Pancake House, Titleist by Empire Golf, Pacsports and Golf Depot.

Lawrence Celestino, winner of the recent Philex NGAP Northern Luzon Regionals at the Baguio Country Club, is also tipped to contend for the crown in the event which also stakes ranking points with Kenneth Kano along with former national champion and junior titlist Rupert Zaragosa, who will team up with JP De Claro, and the pairs of Miggy Yee and AR Ramos, and Edzel Tan and LJ Go, who placed second in the Philex NGAP Northern Luzon Regionals.

Other titles to be disputed are the Group II (minimum handicap of 5.1), and Group III (mid-amateur, 40 years old) and ladies division.

The event also serves as tune-up for next year’s Philippine Amateur Open Golf Championships slated Jan, 7-10, also at Wack Wack.