The cream of the men’s amateur crop slug it out in what promises to be a slam-bang duel as the W Express RVF Cup Amateur Golf Championship crown unwraps tomorrow (Tuesday, Feb. 12) at the Canlubang Golf and Country Club’s North Course in Laguna.
Rupert Zaragosa, Aidric Chan, Carl Corpus, Paolo Wong, Kristoffer Arevalo and Sean Ramos banner the stellar cast that also includes Don Petil, Jolo Magcalayo, Pierre Ticzon, Leandro Bagtas, Weiyu Gao, David Guangco, Jonas Magcalayo and Josh Jorge.
Apo Golf’s Alex Bisera and Elee Bisera and Lloyd Labrador along with Del Monte’s Rolando Bregente Jr. are also in the roster, ready to mix it up with the fancied bets as members of the National Golf Association of the Philippines’ grassroots program.
Five Koreans – Jung Jae Hyun, Kim Sang Jin, Kim Tae Soo, Rho Hyun Ho and Lee Sang Min – also set out to keep the crown which compatriot and now pro Kim Joo Hyung took in convincing fashion last year.
But focus will be on the local aces, the four-day championship staged in honor of the late NGAP president and golf patron Rod V. Feliciano being held as part of the selection process for the team vying in the SEA Games the country is hosting later this year.
Keen competition is also seen in the ladies side with Nicole Abelar, Sunshine Baraquiel, Laia Barro, Sophia Blanco, Sofia Chabon, Samantha Dizon and young Laurea Duque tipped to dispute the crown along with Junia Gabasa, Weifang Gao, Missy Legaspi, Jona Magcalayo, Rianne Malixi, Kayla Nocum, Rafaela Singson, Eagle Ace Superal and Arnie Taguines.
Marie Miñoza, another member of the NGAP’s youth program, also hopes to spring a surprise in the event sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation, Cignal, Metro Pacific and Cangolf and held as part of the PLDT Group National Amateur Tour along with Koerans Kang Da Yun, Kim Seo Yun and Kwon Tae Yon.
Also on tap is the 36-hole Special Division for boys and girls featuring the likes of Mikhaela Constantino, Sophia Abarcas, Jody Castillo and Precious Zaragosa and Koreans Jeong Yeah Eu and Kwon Min Seo along with Joshua de Guzman, Shinichi Suzuki, Dylan Castillo, Zach Villaroman and Kim Tae Won of South Korea.”‹
