Four pros chase 2nd ICTSI-RP tour win

MANILA, Philippines - Keen competition is seen when the country’s top pros slug it out again for top honors in the P1 million ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour which fires off today at the Forest Hills Golf Club in Antipolo, Rizal.

Four players are gunning for their second win but a host of others are raring to join the elite circle of winners in the revival of the golf circuit that has kept the pros busy after a long layoff and has featured the country’s top championship courses.

Leg winners Danny Zarate (Mt. Malarayat), Marvin Dumandan (Eagle Ridge), Elmer Salvador (Sherwood) and current Order of Merit leader Ferdie Aunzo (Royal Northwoods) will be the marked men on the 90 plus-player starting field that includes some of the country’s finest and upcoming amateurs who have been given the privilege to pit skills and talent against the country’s premier shotmakers.

Joining the hunt for the top P200,000 purse put up by the International Container Terminal Services, Inc. are Jay Bayron, Jun Bernis, Gene Bondoc, Cassius Casas, Jerome Delariarte, Christopher delos Santos, Anthony Fernando, Cookie La’O, Benjie Magada, Robert Pactolerin, Joenard Rates, Ruben Sasutil, Carito Villaroman and Erwin Vinluan.

Rufino Bayron, who recently regained his berth in the national team after missing the Nomura Cup squad, heads the roster of amateurs out to spoil the pros’ bid the way reigning national champion Mhark Fernando did at the ICTSI-Riviera Classic last September.

Miguel Tabuena, one of the most talented players to have come out of the jungolf ranks, is also in the fold along with ICTSI golf team members Dino Villanueva and Zanie Boy Gialon.

The traditional pro-am tournament actually kicked off the 54-hole tournament yesterday wherein the leading pros teamed up with the invited amateur guests from the event’s chief backers Pisanti, Srixon, FAMI, Business Mirror, Motorola, Omnisource, Nike Golf, Tiger Gatorade and Pepsico.

Focus will be on Zarate, Dumandan, Salvador and Aunzo as they try to become the first player to score a double on the P10 million tour heading into the last two stages of the 10-leg circuit.

After Forest Hills, the Valley Golf Club, also in Antipolo, will host the penultimate leg on Nov. 16-20 before the circuit winds up in Canlubang on Dec. 7-11.