Ramos, Kim banner NGAP cast at Luisita

MANILA, Philippines — National team mainstay Sean Ramos and Korean Kim Seo Yu face tough challenge in pursuit of back-to-back titles in the NGAP Northern Luzon Regional Golf Championship unfolding tomorrow at the Luisita Golf and Country Club in Tarlac.

Ramos nipped Josh Jorge by one to snare the Elite Am men’s crown at Beverly Place Golf Club in Pampanga last year with the former all set for a repeat against a strong field led by Dan Cruz, winner of the recent Cangolf Amateur Open, Aldo Barro, Joaquin Gomez, Rodolfo Brobio and Jonar Austria.

Ramos is using the tournament as part of his buildup for the SEA Games, also set at the Luisita layout, where he will team up with Aidric Chan, Carl Corpus and Luis Castro to spearhead the country’s gold medal bid against the crack Thailand squad.

Kim also seeks to make it two-in-row in the 54-hole tournament organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines in cooperation with Luisita Golf and Country Club although the Korean, who nipped Bernice Ilas-Olivarez in sudden death to clinch the title last year, braces for a fierce duel with the likes of Rianne Malixi, Sophia Blanco, Laurea Duque, Kayla Nocum and compatriot Kwon Tae Yon.