BAGUIO CITY (11 Nov)– Fil-Championship defending champion San Miguel – Northern Cement will seek a second straight title in the 67th Fil-Golf Tournament that kicks off Nov. 23.
Former pro and top parbuster Eddie Bagtas says San Miguel will return to the annual competition stronger and with better players to stop any rival including 2014 champion Pugo Adventures from claiming the top trophy.
“Mas malakas pa ngayon,” said the dusky shotmaker through phone this week. Bagtas is expected to be joined by Tommy Manotoc, Chito Laureta, Lino Magpantay and Rudy Amata. This year, they will also have Benjie Sumulong.
San Miguel will expectedly start its bid on Nov. 27 along with Pugo Adventure which it nipped for the title last year.
“We will have the same team and hope to win anew,” said PugAd owner Eugene Martin, a retired police general.
San Miguel faces the Puckett brothers – Fred and Douglas – Goodie Ignacio and Ed Montenegro, even as fifth man Rommel Gomez will skip this year’s event to spend time with his grandchildren.
Some 230 teams will tee off on Nov. 23 for the two week Fil-Am Golf at the Baguio Country Club and Camp John Hay fairways.
Presented by San Miguel with more than 1,200 amateur par busters from the Philippines, Korea, Japan, Australia and the US joining the world’s biggest amateur golf event.
“This will be a tough Fil-Am golf just like last year,” said Camp John Hay Golf Club manager Tim Allen earlier.
The two golf clubs suffered some damage due to supertyphoon Lawin late October and are still in the process of clearing the damage on the course, particularly uprooted trees.
Competitions for the first week will be on the lower regular flight of F, G and H and the seniors side while the higher flights including the championship division will see action in the second week. The Fil-Am golf is also backed by Toyota, Petron, Magnolia, SMC Global Power, Northern Cement, San Miguel Lifestyle Brews, Manor at Camp John Hay, Forest Lodge, Empire, CJH Development Corporation, Baguio Country Club, Le Chef,and the CJH Trade and Cultural Center, and Mizuno.**
