Gandionco among Phl bets to Montecillo Cup

CEBU, Philippines - Fresh from helping Cebu Country Club earn its first overall title in the just-concluded 65th Philippines Airlines (PAL) Interclub in Davao City, Gio Gandionco embarks on another challenge as he is among the 10 players named to carry the country's colors in the 2nd Montecillo Cup Junior Golf Championship slated March 5 to 9 at the Palmer course of The Orchard Golf and Country Club in Dasmariñas, Cavite.

The 16-year-old Gandionco played as anchorman for CCC that won its first ever overall championship in PAL Interclub last Saturday at the Apo Golf and Country Club in Davao City. He sank a six-foot birdie putt on the 18th to cap a two-over-par 74 for 34 points as the Cebuano parbusters eased through an eight-point victory.

Gandionco will be honored during the 30th Sportswriters Association of Cebu-San Miguel Corporation (SAC-SMC) All-Cebu Sports Awards this Saturday at The Terraces of Ayala Center Cebu.

He will see action in the Montecillo Cup alongside former Junior World champions Rupert Zaragosa and Mia Legaspi and former Asian title-holder Princess Superal.

They will be joined by former Philippine amateur titlist Clyde Mondilla of Del Monte and the multi-titled Andie Unson.

The other members of the Phl contingent to the five-day tournament are Raymart Tolentino, Sarah Ababa, Sam Martinez and Bianca Pagdanganan.

Gandionco is a senior high school student at Paref-Springdale.

The Philippine team will go up against the top junior players from China, Thailand, Guam, Singapore and Indonesia. 

 Thailand swept the team awards, while the Philippines bagged the individual titles through Jobim Carlos and Unson in last year's inaugural edition of the event at the Mt. Malarayat Golf and Country Club in Batangas.

 The Montecillo Cup, which is held in honor of the late founder of the local jungolf movement, is sanctioned by the Royal & Ancient in St. Andrews, Scotland and the National Golf Association of the Philippines (NGAP).  (FREEMAN)