BAGUIO CITY November 28 – Some two hundred forty teams from different parts of the world signed up for the 68th edition of the Fil-Am invitational amateur golf tournament which will be held at the Baguio Country Club and Camp John Hay fairways on December 2-16, 2017.
Tim Allen, manager of the Camp John Hay Golf Club and co-chairman of the Fil-Am Golf Executive Committee, said 40 percent of the participating teams come from different parts of the Asia-Pacific region while the rest of the teams come from different parts of the country that add up to the excitement of the 18-day competition.
The practice rounds for the seniors division was held from November 29 to December 1 while the competition proper will start on December 2 and will end on December 7.
On the other hand, the practice rounds for the regular division will start from December 8 to 10 while the competition proper will be on December 11 to 16.
Allen noted that the designated hole-in-one holes in both courses that will guarantee the winners a brand new Toyota Altis will be hole No. 18 of the Baguio Country Club and hole No. 10 of the Camp John Hay golf course.
Anthony de Leon, general manager of the Baguio Country Club and co-chairman of the Fil-Am Golf Executive Committee, said both courses underwent the necessary improvements in time for the longest running amateur golf tournament in the Asia-Pacific region considering the expected participation of top calibre amateur golfers.
He claimed some 1,300 golfers will be in the city in the next two weeks to show their prowess in the sport while enjoying the numerous offerings that come with their participation in the tournament following the conduct of nightly entertainment from selected national and local artists chosen by the organizers for the competition.
The 18-day tournament will be done in partnership with the Department of tourism and will be sponsored by San Miguel Corporation.
“We will continue to innovate and provide our golfers with what they want while staying in the city and enjoying the competition.
We expect a surge in the arrival of our participants and their families in the next few days and we are ready for the tournament proper,” de Leon stressed.
He disclosed the BCC and CJH golf courses have already reached the maximum number of participants with the 240 teams that registered for the tournament while there are other teams that are still on the waiting list for their practice rounds and their formal participation to the tournament once it will formally fire off.
Organizers assured all the registered teams that they will be able to have their own schedules for their practice rounds while proper adjustments will be done during the competition proper once the participating teams will be determined by the Secretariat considering the huge number of teams in the waiting list.
The seniors competition teed off at 4 pm on December 1 while the regular competition will tee off at 4 pm on December 11.
**By Dexter A. See
