|
CANLUBANG—Frankie Miñoza shot a worry-free
three-under-par 69 to win the pro-am event with amateur
partner Claudine Garcia Wednesday.
And
right after the victory, Miñoza went straight to the
driving range to further hone himself for the sixth Don
Pocholo Razon Memorial Cup, better known as the The
Country Club (TCC) Invitational, which starts Thursday
at The Country Club.
 “Just to
keep me in one piece swing plane, for consistency,” said
Miñoza.
Miñoza
and Garcia combined for a net 11-under 61 to rule the
pro-am event, a prelude to the TCC Invitational
organized by the International Container Terminal
Services Inc. (ICTSI).
Miñoza
received the cash prize of P70,700 while Garcia got a
Sony Bravia television.
Chucky
Reyes and amateur Rufino Bayron placed second with a
nine-under 63 while Peter Miñoza and Raul de Mesa were
third with a 64.
Angelo
Que and Miñoza, meanwhile, will have an early test of
will against the long-hitting Rey Pagunsan and Robert
Pactolerin, respectively, while Juvic Pagunsan will slug
it out with Mars Pucay in the Invitational.
Que, who
fought back from four strokes down to turn back Elmer
Salvador for last year’s crown, hopes to become only the
first player to win the P4.5-million championship
back-to-back as he opens his bid against Pagunsan and
Gene Bondoc in the 8:20 a.m. flight on No. 1.
With the
weather improving after days of rain, a good scoring is
expected with the Tom Weiskopf Signature Design course
presenting a very good target for the players with its
gently undulating putting surface.
However,
the hazard-laden, par-70 layout changes in character in
every swirl and twirl of the wind.
Miñoza,
coming off a fine season that saw him win the Philippine
Open for the second time and score a victory in the ABC
Championship in Japan, drew former RP Open winner
Pactolerin in an early clash of the fancied bets in the
elite field of 30 chasing the richest purse staked in
local golf outside of the Philippine Open.
Chihiro
Ikeda, the reigning RP Ladies Open champion, gets the
honor of playing in the flight of Pactolerin and Miñoza,
whose presence further lends class and prestige to the
event held in honor of ICTSI founder Don Pocholo Razon.
Juvic
Pagunsan, who nipped Miñoza in a pulsating sudden death
playoff to capture the 2006 crown on his first pro
tournament, will have Pucay and Benjie Magada as company
in the
8:40 a.m. flight on No. 10, hoping to come out with a stronger
start for the needed momentum in this tough, top-level
tournament.
Pucay is also expected to shine, having emerged the
winningest player in the fledgling ASEAN Tour with two
victories while Magada is also raring to prove his worth
after a series of sorry finishes in the past editions of
the tournament.
Cassius Casas, the inaugural champion of the event
sponsored by ICTSI chair Ricky Razon, is paired with
Louie Dacudao and Cyna Rodriguez in the 9 a.m. flight on
No. 1 while 2004 winner Tony Lascuna, who also had an
impressive season on the Asian Tour last year, is
grouped with Marvin Dumandan and reigning Hong Kong
Amateur Open champion Dante Becierra in the 9 a.m.
flight on No. 10.
Jerome Delariarte, who reigned in 2005 in a topsy-turvy
final duel with Cookie La’O and the lone Filipino
aspirants to make the grade in this year’s Asian Tour,
will tee off at 8:30 a.m. in the company of Raymund
Sangil and Orlan Sumcad on the first hole.
The top 21 players after two days will advance to the
final two rounds of the championship, which also
features the country’s top amateurs, headed by national
champion Anthony Fernando and fellow national team
members Ferdie Aunzo, who get the chance to compete
against the pros as part of their preparations and
training for stints abroad. |
