Davao's Salvador seeks redemption as ICTSI Eastridge unwraps

The P1 million ICTSI Eastridge Classic gets under way on Wednesday, June 1 with Davao City's Elmer Salvador and a slew of others out to slow down a streaking Juvic Pagunsan at the Eastridge Golf Club in Binangonan, Rizal.

Salvador is eyeing no less than a payback as he tries to even things up with Pagunsan, who rallied from four strokes down to snatch the ICTSI Orchard crown with a course-record setting nine-under 63 at the Palmer course two weeks ago.

That was Pagunsan’s second victory after three legs of the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour after the smooth-swinging former Asian Tour top rookie dominated the kickoff leg at Royal Northwoods with a wire-to-wire triumph last March.

Pagunsan actually missed the cut in the second leg at ICTSI Classic at Mt. Malarayat last April after turning in a pair of uncharacteristic rounds of 83 and 77. But he quickly redeemed himself in the P2.5 million ICTSI Orchard Golf Championship, stringing three-straight under par rounds to frustrate Salvador and rout the star-studded field in the richest leg on the 17-leg circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Salvador, however, hopes to get back at Pagunsan at Eastridge, where he won when the mountain-top layout last hosted a big tournament in 2009.

The soft-spoken Davaoeno shotmaker, the 2009 Philippine Open and Order of Merit winner, nipped Danny Zarate in sudden death to capture the inaugural Saving Laguna Lake Pro-Am Invitational title two years ago.

“Kailangan pa ring mag-trabaho at magagaling ang mga kalaban (I still have to work hard since there are a lot of good players),” said Salvador.

The field includes veteran Asian Tour campaigners Tony Lascuna and Artemio Murakami, Marvin Dumandan, Mhark Fernando, Cassius Casas, Jhonnel Ababa, Ferdie Aunzo, Michael Bibat, Antonio Asistio II and Rufino Bayron while teener Miguel Tabuena also expects to figure in the race for the top P200,000 purse in the 54-hole event sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.

Tabuena, 16, remains in search of a win after opting to join the pro ranks early this year although the former Asian Games silver medalist has failed to live up to the hype with mediocre finishes in the Philippine Open and at ICTSI Orchard.

But things and fortunes could change at the wind-swept, rolling par-71 layout with deep ravines and unpredictable putting surface.

The event is backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno,PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.PR

ELMER SALVADOR IS SUPPORTED BY REDGOLF.

Villegas, Kim shine in 6th Pomelo Tee

http://edgedavao.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4626:villegas-kim-shine-in-6th-pomelo-tee&catid=46:games&Itemid=79

Juvic eyes No. 3 at ICTSI Eastridge Classic

In-form Juvic Pagunsan goes for his third victory in four starts on the
ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour as he leads the field in the P1 million ICTSI
Eastridge Classic which begins June 1 at the Eastridge Golf Club in Binangonan,
Rizal.
Pagunsan closed out with record nine-under par 63 at The Orchard’s Palmer Course
to win by five over Elmer Salvador in ICTSI Orchard Golf Championship two weeks
ago, his second title romp after scoring an equally convincing victory in the
circuit’s kickoff leg at Royal Northwoods last March.
The win in the P2.5 million event, the richest leg so far in the four-year
circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., netted Pagunsan P450,000,
hiking his earnings to P650,000 for the Order of Merit lead in the early going
of this year’s 16-leg circuit.
Salvador is in second with P345,000 earnings while Tony Lascuna posted winnings
of P249,000 followed by Orlan Sumcad (P246,000), Angelo Que (P235,500), Frankie
Minoza (P187,500), Jay Bayron (P169,250), Gerald Rosales (P128,500), Anthony
Fernando (P122,500) and Jhonnel Ababa (P117,500) in that order.
But this week’s battle for the top P200,000 is expected to be tight with the
par-71 Eastridge layout, hosting a PGT leg for the first time, posing a
different kind of the challenge for the touring pros and amateurs alike.
Situated on a long stretch of mountain ridges, rolling hills and ravines,
Eastridge is tipped to test not only the field’s shotmaking skills and talent
but also their mental toughness especially in the presence of the wind.
The leading contenders get their chance to test the course in the traditional
pro-am tournament on May 31 which features officials and guests of the
sponsoring International Container Terminal Services, Inc., the PGTI and the
event’s chief backers, including MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon,
Callaway, Unilab, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, PinoyGolfer.com,
Inquirer Golf, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports
Meanwhile, the fifth leg will be held at Tagaytay Midlands, another first-time
host, on June 22-24 for the ICTSI Midlands Challenge.
In between on June 15-18, the local men of the tournament will again compete
with the leading players in the region in the ICTSI Mt. Malarayat Championship
at Mt. Malarayat in Lipa, Batangas.
The other legs of the ICTSI-PGT will be held in Bacolod (July 13-15), Iloilo
(July 20-22), Cebu (Aug. 3-5), Apo in Davao (Aug. 17-19), Del Monte in Bukidnon
(Aug. 24-26), Eagle Ridge or Riviera (Sept. 14-16), Mimosa (Oct. 19-21), Manila
Southwoods (Oct. 26-28), Canlubang (Nov. 9-11), Wack Wack (Nov. 13-15) and Sta.
Elena.PR

Joson, Lee cop Samsung nat’l club titles

Richard Joson of Royal Northwoods outgunned Valley Golf’s Adrian Mauricio and came away with a 3&2 victory to capture the 2011 Samsung National Tournament of Club Champions men’s championship at the Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club in Gen. Trias, Cavite over the weekend.

The second-seeded Joson kept the momentum of his impressive wins over Mt. Malarayat’s Gerald Katigbak, 5&4, and Cho Han Pyo of Eagle Ridge, 7&5, to frustrate Mauricio and crown himself the new champion of the annual tournament among winners of the country’s leading golf clubs.

Ayala Greenfields’ Mela Lee, on the other hand, steeled herself up in the down-to-the-wire battle for the ladies crown, nipping top seed Tina Gonzales of Orchard for a 1-up victory after 19 holes at the Faldo layout.

The win capped Lee’s stirring title run as the third ranked bet also edged No. 2 Olive Yoon of Mt. Malarayat, 1-up, to gain a crack at the title in the sixth staging of the event sponsored by Samsung and held in partnership with the Eagle Ridge GCC and its developers Sta. Lucia Realty and Alsons Land, Inc. and Inquirer Golf.

Top seed Lino Magpantay of Tagaytay Midlands, meanwhile, foiled Tomas Joson’s bid for a double by the Royal Northwoods bets as he churned out a 3&2 victory for the seniors plum in the tournament backed by Microtel as official hotel, Airphil Express, Mizuno, Glucoscare Tea, Footjoy and Titleist by Empire, Custom Clubmakers and Omnisource International.

Canlubang’s Joey Huerva dominated Rancho Palos Verdes’ Kuresh Samanodi, 7&6, to annex the men’s title in the special division for under-26 players while Canlubang’s Erika Mohiro held off AFP GC’s Matet Salivio, 1-up, to clinch ladies plum.

All winners received Samsung Galaxy Tabs during awards rites graced by Odette Velarde, Samsung corporate makerting manager, and Eagle Ridge general manager Buddy Resurreccion while two round-trip tickets to Singapore, courtesy of AirPhil Express, were also raffled off.

Meanwhile, the world leading electronics firm resumes its support to local golf next week as it stages the Samsung Interscholastic Golf Championships on June 8-10 at the north course of the Canlubang golf complex in Laguna with the top players and rising stars from the junior ranks and leading schools expected to participate.PR

6th Pomelo Tee complete results

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6th Pomelo Tee complete results

Juvic fires record 63, wins by 5; Dabawenyo finishes second

Juvic Pagunsan captured his second ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour crown in three months in style, firing a course record nine-under par 63 and romping off with a five-shot victory over erstwhile leader Elmer Salvador  of Davao City in the P2.5 million ICTSI Orchard Golf Championship at the Orchard’s Palmer course in Dasmarinas, Cavite, Friday.
Pagunsan spiked his brilliant, bogey-free round with an eagle on the par-5 No. 2, knocking in an eight-footer from a superb 6-iron shot from 192 yards that somehow portended the coming of an explosive day for the smooth-swinging shotmaker.
It did. And he didn’t only dominate the field. He routed them.
Four shots behind Salvador at the start of the final round, Pagunsan wiped out the deficit at the turn with a sizzling six-under 30 then went on to gun down three more birdies at the back of the par-72 layout he turned into a virtual playground.
His 63 gave him a 54-hole total of 15-under 201, beating Salvador by five and pocketing the top P450,000 purse, the richest ever staked in the four-year circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
The nine-under card erased the previous course mark of 65 set by Swede Robert Karlsen in the 1995 Johnnie Walker Classic and matched by Salvador in the second round Thursday that put him three shots ahead of Tony Lascuna with 18 holes to go.
Salvador, the former Philippine Open champion and 2009 ICTSI-PGT Order of Merit winner, actually had a fine start of a 34 and fell into a share of the lead with the charging Pagunan then yielded it altogether with a bogey on the 10th.
“This is one of my best rounds,” said the six-year pro, a former Asian Tour top rookie. “After nine holes, I knew I could win it.”
Salvador lost his rhythm and poise in the face of Pagunsan’s sustained charge at the back, holing out with another bogey for a 38 and a 72. He settled for second at 206 worth P320,000.
Lascuna, three shots behind Salvador after 36 holes, carded a 71 and wound up third with a 208 and took the P210,000 prize while former two-time Phl Open champion and first day joint leader Frankie Minoza rallied with a 69 to finish solo fourth at 209 worth P110,000 in the event backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.
Orland Sumcad also turned in one of his best finishes at No. 5, shooting a 70 for a 211, so did Gerald Rosales, another former Phl Open winner, who also carded a 70 for joint sixth with first day co-leader Jhonnel Ababa, who also made a 70, for 212s.
Anthony Fernando struggled with a 73 and wound up solo eighth at 213 while teener Miguel Tabuena, who made a 71, and Gene Bondoc, who shot a 73, finished tied for ninth at 214.
Zanie Boy Gialon, playing out of the ICTSI-The Country Club team, took the low amateur honors with a 215 after a 75 for joint 11th place with Michael Bibat, who had a 73, Ferdie Aunzo, who fired a 71, and Ross Bain, who shot a 70.
Jay Bayron, runner-up in last week’s Phl Open at Wack Wack, struggled with a 73 and wound up joint 15th at 216 with Charles Hong (69), Al Cruz (73), Angelo Que (74) and Antonio Asistio II (76). PR

Davao's Salvador sizzles with eagle-aided 65, leads by 3

Davao's Elmer Salvador fired an eagle-spiked seven-under 65 and

surged ahead by three over Tony Lascuna, moving closer to ending a year-long

title drought and bagging the richest pot ever staked on the ICTSI-Philippine

Golf Tour in Dasmarinas, Cavite.

Salvador hit a wedge shot from 77 yards out that bounced once onto the 11th

green and rolled into the cup for that eagle then strung up three straight

birdies from No. 14 to highlight a stirring, flawless round of 34-31 under

overcast skies.

Counting his earlier 69 fashioned out early Wednesday, the reticent Davaoeno

shotmaker took control of the ICTSI Orchard Golf Championship with a resounding

10-under 134, lining himself up for a first victory since winning the Mt.

Malarayat leg of last year’s circuit in Batangas.

“It’s been a long time since I last won, I just hope this could be it,” said

Salvador in Filipino, seeking to become the first winner of the whopping

P450,000 top purse in the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Lascuna, who lost the crown here last year to Benjie Magada in a two-hole

playoff, primed up for another shot at the title as he likewise turned in a

bogey-free round of five-under 67 to assume the challenger’s role at 137, three

strokes adrift.

Juvic Pagunsan, who led after the morning session with a second straight 69,

settled for third at 138 and will join Salvador and Lascuna in the championship

flight today.

“They are both good, solid players, I think I need to shoot a 69 to win it,”

said Salvador, who placed joint 33rd in last week’s ICTSI Philippine Open at

Wack Wack.

Richard Sinfuego, another player seeking to end a long slump, also shot a 69 for

a 139 while Anthony Fernando and Antonio Asistio II also carded identical 69s to

lead the 140 group that includes first round co-leader Frankie Minoza and

amateur Zanie Boy Gialon.

Minoza, one of the four players who shot a 68 Wednesday, struggled in the early

going, bogeying two of the first three holes and went three-over after 11. He,

however, rebounded with two birdies in the last four holes to salvage a 72.

Gialon, playing out of the ICTSI-The Country Club, fired a 70 and zeroed in on

the low amateur honors in the 54-hole tournament backed by MJ Carr Golf

Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, Titleist, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno,

PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic

Sports.

Orlan Sumcad and Gene Bondoc were at 141 after a 71 and 70, respectively.

Jhonnel Ababa and Ferdie Aunzo, who also opened with a pair of 68s, hobbled with

a 74 and 76 and slid to 142 and 144, respectively, while early favorites Angelo

Que shot a 69 to tie Ababa, Artemio Murakami (70), Michael Bibat (70), Joenard

Rates (71) and Gerald Rosales (72) while Jay Bayron, runner-up in last week’s

Phl Open, hardly moved with a 71 for a 143.



Longshot Al Cruz actually tied Pagunsan, Elmer Salvador and Albin Engino with a

late 69 in the first round but fumbled with five bogeys against two birdies

yesterday and limped with a 75 to join Bayron at 143 along with Miguel Tabuena

(72).[PR]

Benson outduels Davao's Bayron, takes hotly-disputed ICTSI Philippine Open crown

Berry Henson outdueled Jay Bayron in a day-long shootout under sizzling summer


heat and took the hotly-disputed ICTSI Philippine Open crown with a closing 73,

sinking a pressure-packed three-footer for par on the 72nd hole to clinch a

one-stroke victory at Wack Wack’s East Course yesterday.

Henson nearly blew a three-shot lead with eight holes to go but pounced on

Bayron costly back-to-back bogeys from No. 14 to wrest control by two then

bucked a three-putt miscue on the 17th with a superb lob shot that set up that

clinching three-foot par putt.

The California-based shotmaker, who had 73-283, will head back home to pursue a

dream stint on the PGA Tour starting with the Qualifying School beginning

Tuesday. And with two victories in the last three weeks, including his romp in

the Asian Development Tour’s Clearwater Masters in Malaysia, things should look

up indeed for the 32-year-old Henson.

He pocketed the top purse of $47,550, frustrating Bayron, who had a 72-284, and

the big gallery that had hoped for a Henson miscue when the American, just one

ahead over Bayron heading to the 18th, missed the green for a possible sudden

death.

Henson made sure it wouldn’t reach that point.

He thus became the second American in eight years to win the Open after Edward

Michaels humbled the field in 2004 at Riviera.

It was Henson’s first over par score at the tough layout after a 69-70-71 but

it

proved enough to best the star-studded field and reign in the event that had no

clear winner until the final hole.

Bayron actually overhauled an overnight two-shot deficit with a spectacular

pitch-in eagle on the par-4 No. 2, finding himself on top by one as Henson made

an opening hole bogey.

But it didn’t last long for the Filipino bet, who bogeyed No. 4 which Henson

birdied for a crucial two-shot swing and the American went three-up with

another

birdied on the seventh, a lead he held up to No. 11.

Henson, however, bogeyed the next and Bayron birdied Nos. 11 and 13 to draw

level and sparked hopes for a big finish for the reigning Order of Merit

champion of the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour.

But Bayron crumbled under pressure, bogeying No. 14 after missing the green

then

dropping another shot on a three-putt miscue on the next where Henson banged in

a delicate six-footer for par to gain another two-shot lead up to 17th.

South African Jbe Kruger, tied with Bayron in second after 54 holes, let Henson

and Bayron do the show majority of the way but stayed within striking distance

with a 36 at the turn. He moved to within one off Henson with a birdie on No.

12

but faded just as quickly with back-to-back bogeys from No. 15.

He settled for third with a 285 worth $18,300.

Only six players broke par in the final day on the challenging East layout,

which yielded just a total of 63 under-par scores throughout the four-day

tournament presented by ICTSI and which served as the seventh leg of the Asian

Tour.

Digvijay Singh also hung around in the early going for a possible attack which

never came as the Indian bet, five behind Henson at the start of the final

round, failed to sustain a three-under card after five holes and wound up with

a

71.

He finished fourth with a 286 and took $14,790 while Mars Pucay emerged as the

second best Filipino placer at 288 after a 74.

Other even-par scorers were Kwanchai Tannin (73) and Pariya Junhasavasdikul

(74)

of Thailand. Each received $10,400.

Rufino Bayron, younger brother of Jay, matched par for the second straight day

and salvaged joint eighth place at 289 with Daisuke Kataoka of Japan (71), Lin

Wen-hong of Taiwan (72), Brad Smith of Australia (73) and Prom Meesawat of

Thailand (75). They shared the combined purse of $30,516. PR

Guioguio holds off Ikeda, bags Sarawak plum

Lovelynn Guioguio finally nailed the big one, beating fancied ICTSI teammate

Chihiro Ikeda by three shots despite a closing two-over 74 to capture the

Sarawak Amateur Open crown at the the Sarawak Golf Club Resort in Malaysia

Sunday.

Guioguio nearly lost a five-shot lead as she lost her rhythm off the tee with

two water-laced drives, enabling Ikeda to close to within one with five holes to

go. But she gained a decisive three-shot swing with a birdie on No. 14 which

Ikeda double-bogeyed from an errant drive and cruised to victory with a 220

aggregate.

“Iplayed tough and hung in there,” said Guioguio, who also came through with a

couple of clutch par-saving putts on Nos. 16 and 17 to hold off the charging

Ikeda and secure her first international victory.

The Fil-Japanese, the reigning Philippine Ladies Open and Thailand Ladies Open

champion, wound up with an even par 72 for a 223 while Jayvie Agojo failed to

sustain a solid 35 with a 40 and finished with a 75.

The former Phil Ladies Open winner, however, completed the ICTSI-backed bets’

domination of the event as she ended up tied for third at 227 with Malaysian Nur

Durriyay, who carded a 74.

“Lovelynn showed a big fighting heart and was able to check her skid. This win

should further boost her confidence heading to this week’s Malaysian Amateur,”

said ICTSI team coach Bong Lopez.

Sarah Ababa made a second straight 77 and wound up with a 234 while Sunshine

Baraquiel had an 82 for a 242.

Guioguio birdied No. 9 from five feet to save a 36 and keep a four-shot lead at

the turn as Ikeda shot a 35 with birdies on Nos. 3 and 4 against a bogey on the

second. But she hit wayward shots off the mound on Nos. 12 and 13, resulting to

bogeys and allowing Ikeda to close to within one.

But Ikeda pushed her drive into the water hazard on No. 14 and ended up with a

double-bogey, blowing her bid for another title abroad. PR

J-Ro Cup reels off on Friday

The first J-Ro Cup, featuring the country’s leading jungolfers in the girls ranks, fires off on Friday, May 13 at the AFP Golf Club (formerly Aguinaldo Golf Club) with no less than two-time LPGA winner Jennifer Rosales gracing the event.

Rosales is putting up the 18-hole stroke-play event as part of her commitment to help aspiring young Filipino players develop their skills and at the same time inspire and motivate them as they gear up for various international competitions.

They include Ann Sabater, Marvi Monsalve and Maan Legaspi in the Class A group while Princess Superal, Dana Gonzales, Bianca Pagdanganan, Felicia Medalla, Nikki Bruce lead the cast in Class B.

“I believe this is an opportunity for these young players to enhance and display their talent. I want to inspire them to keep playing and hope that my achievements can encourage them to reach their potential,“ said Rosales, who also won the Women’s World Cup with Fil-Am Dorothy Delasin in 2008.

Pauline del Rosario, Samantha Martirez, Abigael Arevalo and Mia Legaspi make up the field in Class C while Samantha Bruce, Bernie Ilas, Nicole Abelar, Missy LEgaspi and Kristine Torralba composed the Class D field. Sophia Blanco and Annika Salustiano are in Class E.

Joining Rosales, also the former five-time Philippine Ladies Open champion, in the ceremonial drive at 8 a.m. are former President Fidel V. Ramos, San Juan Rep. JV Ejercito and National Golf Association of the Philippines president Leandro Mendoza.

“It is with great excitement to have my first tournament at Camp Aguinaldo Golf Club where I started playing and began to love the game. It's just so nice to see so many young girls playing golf now,” said Rosales, who took up the sport at age 12.

“I have been given countless blessings and I want to share and motivate young Filipino players to become future professional golfers to represent the country. I'm so positive that in the future my dream will come true and see all you girls there,” said Rosales, who vowed to make the tournament an annual affair.

Rosales is in the thick of her preparations for the resumption of her LPGA campaign in June, starting with the ShopRite LPGA Classic in Galloway, New Jersey.PR

Chase on for ICTSI Phl Open crown

The ICTSI Philippine Open fires off  on Thursday with fireworks expected to

erupt right in the first round among the fancied players, the rising stars and

the lesser lights in pursuit of glory in the $300,000 event at the tough Wack

Wack East Course.

Angelo Que, who won here in 2008 before the Phl Open took a two-year break from

the Asian Tour, drew an early showdown with Bangladesh Siddikur, the current No.

2 in the Asian Tour Order of Merit ranking, and Swede ace and last year’s top

rookie Rikard Karlberg in one of the featured flights at 12:15 p.m. on No. 1.

Artemio Murakami, winner of last year’s all-peso Phl Open at Valley, is bunched

with American Ben Fox and Thai Namchok Tantipokhakul in the 11:45 a.m. flight on

No. 1 while Juvic Pagunsan, the other top local bet chasing his first Phl Open

diadem, is grouped with veteran Zaw Moe of Myanmar and another Thai Piya

Swangarunporn in the 7:50 a.m. flight on No. 10.

Focus will also be on Frankie Minoza, who ended a long Open drought in 1998 at

Riviera and repeated the feat here at WW in 2007. The 51-year-old ace Filipino

shotmaker, now campaigning in the US Seniors Tour, is trying to become the third

player to win the fabled event three times.

He is paired with Australian Tim Stewart and Thai Thammanoon Sriroj at 11:55

a.m. on No. 10 following the other featured flight of teener Miguel Tabuena,

Berry Henson of the US and Brazilian Lucas Lee.

But while he remains hopeful of his title chances, Minoza is pinning his hopes

on the country’s young turks, whom he described as “strong and very good.”

“I’m hitting the ball good but I need to work on my putting. But these young

kids have no fear and are very good,” said Minoza, referring to the likes of

16-year-old Tabuena. “I think one of the them have a chance of winning this

week.”

Like Minoza, Que, who beat Malaysian Danny Chia to claim the Open crown in 2008,

said his putting remains his problem although his overall game has been okay.

“My putting has been on and off but I’ve still done relatively well. I’ve won

twice in the local circuit and finished ninth in India,” said Que, winner of

this year’s The Country Club Invitational and the Philippine Golf Tour-ICTSI

Classic at Mt. Malarayat.

“We got the strongest Filipino field this week but the foreign challenge is also

loaded with talents with a number of Asian Tour leg winners, including the top

60 players in last year’s Order of Merit,” said Que.

The event marks the return of the Phl Open to the Asian Tour calender after a

two-year absence with the world’s leading port operator International

Container Terminal Services, Inc coming in as title sponsor. The other backers

of the tournament, held under the auspices of the National Golf Association, are

San Miguel Corp., Globe Telecom, Lexus, HSBC, Splash Corporation and Ayala Land

Premier with Srixon, Ricoh, BlackBerry, Inetol, Motorola, Label 5 and Crowne

Plaza Manila Galleria as supporters.

The par-72 layout has been spruced up to championship form and condition with

its tight fairways, menacing bunkers and unpredictable putting surface expected

to bring out the best -- and the worst -- from the 150-player field.

“I’ve heard a lot of good things about this course and it’s fun to finally get

out here and see it. It seems like it’s going to be a really good challenge

here,” said American Jonathan Moore, coming off a victory in last Sunday’s Asian

Development Tour leg in Malaysia where he beat Murakami in a final round

shootout.

Also in the fold are Thais Chinnarat Phadungsil, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Chapchai

Nirat, and Chawalit Plaphol, and Sujian Singh of India, former champion Wang

Ter-chang, Singapore’s Quincy Quek, South Africa’s Peter Karmis, Chan Yih-shin

of Taiwan, Darren Beck and Scott Barr of Australia.

The 22-year-old Phadungsil, No. 7 in the OOM ranking, is looking for his fourth

Asian Tour victory. He has made four out of four cuts this year with his best

placing coming in the Avantha Masters in India at joint seventh.

Aphibarnrat, on the other hand, is one of the most exciting young players to

emerge from Thailand. He scored a career breakthrough win in the SAIL Open in

India last February after a number of near-misses on the Asian Tour.



“You have to be precise off the tee and know exactly what you need to do,” said

Singh. “The greens are very undulating and you have to know what you want to do

on the greens as well. The course is good test.”



For his part, Henson said: “This is a pretty good course. But you have to keep

your ball on the fairways and it’s going to play long if it stays long. The

rough is nasty and under-par is going to be a good round.”



The other local contenders include former Phl Open winners Elmer Salvador,

Cassius Casas, Gerald Rosales and Robert Pactolerin, Asian Tour regulars Mars

Pucay and Tony Lascuna, Ferdie Aunzo, Mhark Fernando, Jhonnel Ababa, Marvin

Dumandan and Jay Bayron, last year’s winner of PGT-ICTSI Order of Merit title.PR

Another jewel for the Dabawenya shotmaker

Dabawenya Chihiro Ikeda added the Johor Amateur Open crown to her growing list of
victories this year, outlasting ICTSI teammate Jayvie Agojo in a final day
showdown under brutal condition at the Johor Golf Club in Malaysia Saturday.
Ikeda, tied with Agojo and just one stroke ahead of local bet Nur Durriyay at
the start of the final round, fumbled with a four-over 76 but still won by five
shots as the rest struggled on the long layout made more daunting by the testy
pin placements.
Ikeda, Agojo and a couple of others had four putts each to typify the field’s
ordeal as organizers moved the tee boxes farther and strategically placed the
pins barely 2-3 paces in front, forcing the players to go for position on the
green on their approach shots.
In fact, the Filipinos bets had deliberately played it short to get a chance for
an up-and-down rather than putt from above the hole.
But Ikeda proved up to the task, pouncing on Agojo’s foldup midway through while
hitting her lone birdie on on No. 3 against three bogeys and a double-bogey from
a four-putt miscue. Counting her earlier 75 and 71 rounds, the SEA Games gold
medalist pooled a 222 and added the title to her trophy cabinet that included
the Philippine Ladies and the Southern Ladies and the Thailand Amateur Open
titles this year.
Agojo, who teamed up with Sarah Ababa to win the New Zealand Foursomes crown
recently, never recovered from a string of missed green bogeys on Nos. 4, 7 and
9 and a four-putt double bogey on No. 8 as she dropped four more shots at the
back for a birdie-less 81 and a 227.
“It was close in the early going but Jayvie was never the same after she
four-putted No. 8 from 15 feet as she bogeyed the next four and trailed by five
from there,” said ICTSI coach Bong Lopez.

With Durriyay hobbling with an 84 and slipping to fourth at 231, Vivian Chin,
also of Malaysia, shot the day’s best score of even par 72, snatching third
place honors with a 230.PR

Thais seek breakthru in Phl Open

A crack Thailand contingent, headed by Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Chinnarat
Phadungsil, will be in the hunt for the ICTSI-Philippine Open crown, hopeful of
its chances for a first-ever championship against local and other foreign aces
in the $300,000 event firing off May 12 at Wack Wack.
The Thais have been the Filipinos’ perennial rivals in amateur play but have not
figure well in the chase for the Phl Open title with Chawalit Plaphol losing
steam after sharing the opening day lead and eventually finishing in joint 17th
in 2008, also at Wack Wack’s east course.
Plaphol is back in the hunt next week, along with Aphibarnrat and Phadungsil,
two of Thailand’s current young stars, and a host of other Thai players seeking
to score a breakthrough win in Asia’s oldest and the country’s premier
championship which is making its return to the Asian Tour.
Presented by long-time golf patron International Container Terminal Services,
Inc. (ICTSI), the four-day championship serving as the seventh leg of this
year’s Asian Tour is sponsored by San Miguel Corp., Globe Telecoms, Lexus
and HSBC and backed by Srixon, Ricoh, BlackBerry, Splash Corp., Inetol,
Motorola, Lancaster Hotel and Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria and National Golf
Association of the Phils.
Phadungsil stamped his mark as one of Asia's rising stars when he claimed his
third Asian Tour title in the Queen's Cup in Thailand in 2009. He came close to
winning his fourth Asian Tour title last year when he moved one stroke off the
lead going into the final round of the Yeangder Tournament Players'
Championship, which was eventually reduced to 54 holes due to a typhoon in
Taiwan.

The 22-year-old Phadungshil burst onto the Asian Tour scene in style by emerging
the youngest ever champion in the Double A International Open in Bangkok at 17.
The 2005 world junior champion also earned his European Tour card in 2009 by
finishing joint 12th in the qualifier despite an opening 78.



Aphibarnrat, on the other hand, is one of the most exciting young players to
emerge from Thailand. He scored a career breakthrough win in the SAIL Open in
India last February after a number of near-misses on the Asian Tour.

Last year, Aphibarnrat, who turns 23 in July, enjoyed his best season by
finishing 10th on the Order of Merit with four top 10s, including third place
finishes at the Maybank Malaysian Open and Black Mountain Masters on home soil.


After a strong amateur career where he won the World Junior Championship twice,
Aphibarnrat stamped his class in the play-for-pay ranks. He almost secured his
first win in 2009 at the Worldwide Holdings Selangor Masters which he led in the
final round only to settle for second after Rick Kulacz snatched the title with
a closing 63.

Other Thais in the fold are Udorn Duangdecha, Pariya Junhasavasdikul, Thaworn
Wiratchant, Chapchai Nirat, Namchok Tantipokhakul, Kwanchai Tannin and the
veteran Prayad Marksaeng.

Angelo Que, who beat Malaysian ace Danny Chia to win the 2008 crown, heads the
local challenge along with last year’s all-peso Phl Open winner Artemio Murakami
and 2009 winner Elmer Salvador and Asian Tour regulars Juvic Pagunsan, Jay
Bayron, Mars Pucay and Tony Lascuna.PR