Chase on for P1.1-M purse in TCC invit’l

Two of the country’s top players will not be around but the depth of the competing field remains as talent-laden as ever when the P3.85 million The Country Club Invitational golf championship fires off today at the posh The Country Club course Laguna.

Frankie Miñoza, the country’s foremost golfer, has begged off to honor a previous commitment in Japan, his base the last 15 years while former RP Open champion Gerald Rosales accepted the European Tour’s invitation to play in the Caltex Singapore Open, slated also this week.

But their absence does not in any way affect the race for the top P1.1-million purse which remains as wide open as ever with Cassius Casas, who won last year’s inaugurals of this event, put up by the Razon family in cooperation with The Country  Club, expecting stiff challenge from the rest of the elite 40-player field in the next four days.

There are Benjie Magada and Tony Lascuna, whose final round charge last year’s fell short, enabling Casas to coast to a three-stroke victory over a course which will now play to a par-70 layout following the organizers’ decision to convert a couple of par-5s to par-4s.

That should make the hunt for birdies more difficult over an already daunting course where the water hazards come into play on 16 holes, including the challenging par-4, 434-yard finishing hole.

But the pros will also have to contend with the Tom Weiskopf-designed course’s tight fairways and sleek putting surface which are expected to punish wayward shots but will reward the accurate ones.

Still, the field is expected to come into the event with great enthusiasm and play the course with remarkable resolve, this four-day championship being the biggest, richest tournament outside of the Philippine Open.

Journeyman Lito Rempojo upstaged the fancied bets by teaming up with Toby Gan to fire a 63 and win the pro-am event yesterday, nipping the tandem of Ruben Sasutil and Bernie Gan in the countback. Dan Cruz and partner Chucky Reyes shot a 65 to finish third.

Rempojo took the P55,000 purse while Toby Gan won the a Samsung 15" LCD TV; Sasutil settled for P33,000 while partner Bernie Gan took home a Sony digital videocam; Cruz won P22,000 while Reyes brought home a Sony 26" color TV.

Asian Tour regulars Danny Zarate, Mars Pucay and Carito Villaroman are also in the fold along with the rest of the top 21 finishers in last year’s inaugurals who have been given automatic slots. The rest of the cast has been tapped by the sponsors headed by Enrique Razon Jr., who put up the tournament last year to honor the memory of his father, Don Pocholo, an avid golfer like him.

Others seeing action are Robert Pactolerin, Angelo Que, Ruben Sasutil, Richard Sinfuego, Cesar Ababa, Rey Alit, Eddie Bagtas, Ramil Bisera, Dan Cruz, Rodrigo Cuello and Cookie La’O.

The event also features four of the country’s top amateurs as former national champion Artemio Murakami,  Marvin Dumandan, Jun Bernis and Romeo Jaraula get the chance to slug it out against the pros as part of the buildup and training for the national team.