Top pros test Caliraya

MANILA, Philippines — The country’s top pros return to Caliraya Springs Golf Club for another showdown when the first Sambalilo Golf Pro-Am tournament is held on Aug. 5-6 in Cavinti, Laguna.

Zanieboy Gialon headlines the 53-player pro cast clashing for top honors in the two-day tournament offering a total prize fund of P500,000, seeking to make it back-to-back on a course which got into big-time hosting when it staged the ICTSI Caliraya Springs Championship of the Philippine Golf Tour last April.

Gialon bested the cream of the crop with a four-day display of superb shotmaking and putting, netting him a four-stroke victory over Clyde Mondilla that snapped a five-year victory spell in the country’s premier circuit.

But the upcoming event, held in conjunction with the province’s Sambalilo Festival celebrations, will not be a clash of individual skills and talent but of teamwork with each pro to partner with an amateur under the scramble format in the first day and the four-ball play in the next.

The top 10 teams will receive cash prizes while those from 11th to last will get consolation prizes.

Listup is ongoing with fee pegged at P10,000 per team. For details, contact event manager Jocelyn Duque at 0995-0212877 or 0909-999-6399.

All players, including the pros, will be allowed to use a cart. Practice rounds are set from Aug. 1 to 4 starting at 7 a.m.

Gialon has tapped national team player Gab Manotoc as partner while Mike Bibat, the recent winner of the PGT Eagle Ridge at Aoki Invitational, will team up with Edwin de Ocampo, and multi-titled Tony Lascuña will play alongside Darwin Averion.

Other top pairs include Gerald Rosales-Noli Alvarado, Rufino Bayron-Bobby Iñigo, Rupert Zaragosa-Kristoffer Arevalo, and Ivan Monsalve-Paqo Barro with Cavinti Vice Mayor Milbert Oliveros joining the title chase with pro Albin Engino.

Other leading pros in the fold are Jay Bayron and Justin Quiban.

The Sambalilo Festival is one of the most colorful and prosperous festivals in Laguna, feting the handmade sombrero (hat) from pandan that has been the premier livelihood of the people.