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BONG
LOPEZ fully understands that when he brings with him 18
of the country’s top amateur golfers in four tournaments
in Malaysia, lofty expectations will arise. But the
head coach believes that his troops are more than ready
to do battle against international players in the next
three weeks.
A
star-studded cast, led by Asian Games bronze medalist
Mike Bibat plus reigning Junior World champions Cyna
Rodriguez and Dottie Ardina, will represent the ICTSI-Team
Philippines in the Sabah Amateur Open at the Sabah Golf
and Country Club in Kota Kinabalu and Sarawak Amateur
Open in Kuching. Both events are set from May 11 to 13.
Joining
Bibat, Rodriguez and Ardina in the RP contingent are
Anya Tanpinco, Chihiro Ikeda, Debbie de Villa, Mia
Piccio, Bambee de la Paz, Ferdie Aunzo, Jay Bayron,
Marcel Puyat, Miko Alejandro, Sonny Villaber, Wolen
Superal, Anthony Fernando, Dante Becierra, Gene Bondoc
and Gino Bunyi.
For more
than two weeks before their departure, Lopez and his
assistants implemented an intensive training program
which required the amateurs to play at least three
18-hole and two nine-hole games every week. Lopez said
this is for their stamina because he anticipates a tough
schedule ahead.
“We’ll
be traveling to different places in Malaysia kaya dapat
maganda ang conditioning ng mga bata. And with the
entry of teams from
Australia,
England and New Zealand, the competition will be of high
caliber,” said Lopez, the former amateur standout and
ex-coach of Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA)
campaigner Jennifer Rosales.
After
their stints in Kota Kinabalu and Kuching, the ladies,
instead of going back home for a break, will push to
Kuala Lumpur
for a unique dual meet against Malaysia’s best players
in the distaff side, according to Lopez.
“Magastos kung uuwi pa kami,” Lopez said. He requested
Malaysia
Ladies Golf Association executive director Rabe’ahtul
Aloya Abbas for a dual meet with their ladies.
Fortunately, she agreed, noting that her team could use
it for practice as well. The game has been scheduled
from May 16 to 18 at the Saujana Golf and Country Club.
The boys
squad, meanwhile, will be busy preparing for the 105th
Malaysia Men’s Amateur Open Championship which will be
staged at the Nexus Golf Resort Karambunai in Kota
Kinabalu, Sabah, from May 17 to 20.
Canada
and South Africa will field its players in the
tournament for the first time. New Zealand, Vietnam,
Myanmar, the Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan, Chinese
Taipei, Singapore, Korea and Malaysia have also
confirmed entries.
“This
will be a great experience for us. The international
exposure will help us develop our guys’ and gals’ mental
toughness,” Lopez also said.
He is
also excited because this will be the first time that
his good friend Cassius Casas is now one of the
assistant coaches on the men’s team. “I placed him to
take care of the new players and he has made very good
progress with them. I know his vast experience in
championship golf will rub off well.”
Beside
those nations mentioned, players from Australia, India,
Nepal, Thailand, Brunei, Sri Lanka and the Middle East
will travel to Sabah for a showdown that should prove
interesting.
“The
level of golf exhibited by most of these amateurs is of
a high standard, and for this reason, we expect not only
a good turnout, but also a good, competitive event that
will mark the 105th staging of one of the oldest
competitions in world golf,” said Datuk Robin Loh,
deputy president of the Sabah Golf Association.
Loh said
the Malaysia Golf Association (MGA) invites two top
amateur players from each of the 17 Asia-Pacific
countries.
The
ICTSI teams wrap up their campaign in the former British
colony with simultaneous events starting May 22. The
girls will compete in the Malaysian Women’s Open in
Langkawi, which ends on May 24, while the men see action
in the HLA Saujana Open in
Kuala Lumpur ending on the 25th. --Adrian Flores |
