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BEWARE!
A new “Bomb” is on the loose.
Nope,
this is not about the kind that destroy things or kills
life. It’s Anthony Fernando, the new king of the
Philippine Amateur Golf Championship.
Before
one gets even curious, it was former professional
basketball coach Tommy Manotoc who actually coined the
term for Fernando during the national qualifier for the
Philippine men’s team conducted by the National Golf
Association of the Philippines (NGAP).
“That
kid [Fernando] can explode anytime. I think he will be
a great addition to the team that will see action in the
Southeast Asian Games. We need someone like him—a
player who can be a spark to jump-start everyone else,”
Manotoc said.
Indeed,
if one will look at his performance in the last two
tournaments, Fernando can be as fiery when he wants to.
In the
national qualifier at the Riviera Golf Club, he
displayed his savvy and grabbed the lead after the first
two days. The Ateneo de Zamboanga graduate’s game,
however, sputtered in the next six days but hung on to
finish in the top six.
It
happened again in the RP Amateur in
Iloilo
last week. The only obvious difference was that Fernando
attacked with precision in the last two days of match
play. And the result was an easy road to the crown over
Calatagan bet and ex-bag-toter Mario Labajo.
“Nakatsamba
lang talaga [It was pure luck],” said Fernando, 24,
in a text message to Greenside Chip.
He
admits, though, that he can’t purely rely on it.
“Iba
na pag
nasa SEA
Games na. ’Yung level of competition biglang
tumataas. Hindi tayo magpapatalo sa mga kalaban. I
will do my best for my country,” Fernando also said.
Ready to
play
JUNIOR
golfers Dottie Ardina and Cyna Rodriguez, two players of
the ICTSI stable, were conspicuously absent in the RP
Amateurs. Both are undergoing training in the
US
courtesy of ICTSI top honcho Enrique Razon.
Ardina’s
and Rodriguez’s golf education program require them to
stay in the US for two years, according to ICTSI coach
Bong Lopez. Even so, the young ladies can excuse
themselves from the training facility and represent the
Philippines in international competitions.
That is
if the NGAP chooses them.
“NGAP
has yet to lay down its plan for the women’s squad.
Just the same, I am very sure Dottie and Cyna would love
to represent the country especially in the SEAG,” Lopez
said.
The NGAP
has yet to form a national women’s team, more so,
determine how it will form one or how it would select
the players.
“Jayvie
Agojo is also on the wish list of NGAP. Counting Ardina,
Rodriguez and RP Amateur ladies’ winner Anya Tanpinco,
it would bring the number to four which is one more than
required for the SEAG,” avid golfer Nolan Littaua
stated.
“In
case of that scenario, the NGAP has no choice but to set
a guideline to pick only three who are acceptable to
everyone,” Jonel Quiogue seconded.
The
women’s team to the SEA Games would be composed of only
three players. |
