Phl Am match play lures top amateurs

MANILA, Philippines - King Stehmeier and Raymund Sangil, members of the Orchard team that won the PAL Interclub crown recently, spearhead the elite cast of players vying in this year’s Philippine Amateur Match Play Championship which unfolds Monday at Orchard’s Palmer layout in Dasmariñas, Cavite.

Orchard has rejoined the National Golf Association of the Philippines and with the par-72 Palmer layout expected to provide a different kind of challenge for the competing field, to be limited to the first 80 players for men and 40 for women.

“We are very happy to join the NGAP and we will make sure that the course is ready for the championship,” said Conrad Benitez, the president of Orchard.

Stehmeier and Sangil, along with the other team members, hope to flash their familiarity with the layout although they will be up against a field teeming with talent in the event presented by MVP Sports Foundation and serving as part of the PLDT Group Amateur Tour.

Rupert Zaragosa has confirmed his participation in the event with the former champion fully recovered from a wrist injury that forced him to withdraw after 24 holes of the Junior Am championship last week.

Also tipped to contend for the crown is former pro and Luisita senior standout Eddie Bagtas.

Meanwhile, listup ends today. For details, call the organizing National Golf Association of the Philippines at 027065926, 023428719, 029250022, 09175177259 or through email at [email protected] and [email protected].

“We welcome the Orchard to the NGAP family and we look forward to hosting more events here in the future,” said NGAP president Tommy Manotoc.

The first two days will be stroke play to determine rankings with the top 32 in the men’s division and the top 16 in the women’s side advancing to the knockout phase.

Newly-crowned Junior national champion Gen Nagai of Japan is also in the roster, bidding to duplicate Zaragosa’s feat three years ago when he won the men’s and boys’ national titles at the same time.

Philippine team member Justin Quiban and a Korean scratch player from Mimosa, Shin Ye-sub, are also some of the players to watch in the men’s division.