RP golfers open bid in World Am

The Philippines opens its campaign in the Eisenhower Trophy, the men’s side of
the World Amateur Golf Team Championships, which begins Thursday with 70 teams
slugging it out for top honors at the Olivos Golf Club and Buenos Aires Golf
Club in Argentina.
Hopes are high for the team of Mhark Fernando, Dabawenyo Jhonnel Ababa and US-based Judson
Eustaquio as the troika tries to duplicate the RP ladies’ best-ever finish of
joint eighth in the Espirito Santo Trophy last week.
Dottie Ardina, Dabawenya Chihiro Ikeda and Mia Piccio pooled a four-day total of 575 as
the ICTSI-backed team shared eighth place with Germany and New Zealand, the
country’s best since the 1968 team finished ninth in Australia.
“They are ready but they had to contend not only with the talent laden field and
a tough course but also the chilly weather here,” said NGAP official and team
captain Pablo Soon.
The RP men’s squad actually turned in a pair of third-place finishes in 1984 and
2002 but has struggled in the last three stagings of the biennial event, winding
up joint 23rd in 2004, ending up 38th in 2006 and sharing 27th place the last
time in Australia on a team built around Rufino Bayron, Ferdie Aunzo and Jerson
Balasabas.
But Fernando, Ababa and Eustaquio are all-geared up for this week’s event, a
three-to-play, two-to-count format tournament spread over four days.
Ababa, in fact, hopes to cap his stint in the ranks on a high note as the
veteran internationalist has decided to turn pro after this event.
Fernando, on the other hand, will leave the ranks after the Asian Games next
month with the former national champion raring to build up momentum and boost
his confidence with a solid showing this week in time for the Guangzhou Asiad.
Eustaquio, a former Florida Amateur champion, is also out to prove his worth in
the tournament featuring the world’s leading teams, headed by defending champion
Scotland and many-time titlist United States.
The team, handled by Tommy Manotoc and whose campaign is sanctioned by the
National Golf Association of the Phils. and sponsored by ICTSI, drew a morning
tee-off time at 7:30 a.m.  with Ababa kicking off RP’s campaign at the BAGC
against Jose Rodriguez of Puerto Rico and Dutch Robin Kind.
Eustaquio is paired with Robi Calvesbert and Fernand Osther while Fernando is
set to start with Rafael Campos and Daan Huizing.(pr)