Baguio City—Four brand new Toyota cars will be up for grabs in the 69th Fil-Am Invitational Golf Tournament at the Baguio Country Club and Camp John Hay golf courses that will officially start today.
Holes number 10 and 18 are the designated holes at BCC and CJH, respectively, that will net a Toyota Rush for the ace maker, revealed co-chairs Anthony de Leon and Tim Allen during a press conference at the CJH golf club.
Two other cars, Toyota Wigo, will be for the raffle during the awards night slated on Dec. 6 and 15 for the seniors’ and regular division, respectively.
Practice rounds will start for the Regular F and G flights, as well as the seniors and new division super senior today. A captain’s meeting is also scheduled to finalize the line-up of teams as well as to give each captain a run-down of the tournament rules.
Some 91 seniors’ teams are ready for action on Dec. 1.
Secretariat head Roanne Galicia said that the number went up from last year’s 69.
The super seniors is open to players 70 years and older, where co-host John Hay will be fielding a team.
Luisita is expected to defend its crown in the premier Fil Championship flight, with Manila Southwoods and Megafiber as the biggest challengers.
Luisita is expected to be bannered by former pro Eddie Bagtas, while Tommy Manotoc is expected to anchor Southwoods in the five-to-play, four-to-count tournament by San Miguel.
Luisita is also defending in the Am Championship flight.
Meanwhile, practice rounds for the regular Championship, A to E flights will be on Dec. 7 with the tournament proper to start on Dec. 10.
The Carmona, Cavite-based Southwoods team will return to defend its crown, hoping to earn the team’s 17th title since 1997, when the team debuted and became the tournament’s most dominant team ever.
Yutu Katsuragawa is expected to return after a year’s absence from the team, which will miss Joo Hyung Kim, last year’s individual champion, who turned pro.
Allen said that they are expecting another Japanese player for Southwoods, who they have yet to identify.
Southwoods will miss Luigi Paolo Wong from nearby La Trinidad, who moved to Royal Northwoods.