Philippine Sports News and Updates

Singapore—Armed with probably the best team assembled in years, Team Philippines could finally end a 12-year drought and reign supreme again in the Southeast Asian Amateur Golf Team Championship, more known as the Putra Cup, which tees off today at the Singapore Island Country Club here.

National Golf Association of the Philippines secretary general Jun Galindez and director Pablo Soon are optimistic that with Rufino Bayron, Ferdinand Aunzo, Tonlits Asistio and Jhonel Ababa, the country is a shoo-in for a record 17th team title in the event’s rich 48-year history.

“We believe that our boys have the capacity to win this year. It is very fortunate for the NGAP to have had pooled in this kind of a team,” echoed Soon and Galindez.

Putra Cuppers will finally nail one in what could be the country’s first since the team of Tony Lascuna, Rey Pagunsan, Richard Sinfuego and Gerard Cantada ruled the 1996 edition in Myanmar. Lascuna also took the individual plum, beating Pagunsan, for the RP sweep.

Bong Lopez, who has been tapped to coach the squad, said that most of the players are very familiar with the course conditions of the Bukit course of the SICC because it is very similar to some of the layouts back home, particularly of the carabao grass and undulating fairways of the Apo Golf Club in Davao.

“It feels like home for them,” said Lopez, who was referring to his ICTSI boys Bayron and Aunzo plus Ababa—all who have honed their skills at Apo. “But don’t discount the possiblity that Asistio could also score well because he is hitting the ball really well in the last few weeks.”

Although playing the Bukit course could be an advantage, Lopez told the boys just to play relaxed and not too over confident.

“It is important for them to focus on the game and not be too cocky. There are a lot of strong teams in the field, including defending champion Singapore. A bit of mistake at the start of the early rounds is crucial.” Lopez told the Standard Today. Adrian Flores