Southwoods’ Chairman’s charity golf on
AL KHOR, Qatar (AFP) -- France coach Didier Deschamps admitted he was “immensely proud” after Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Morocco took the holders through to another World Cup final where he said his team would try to find a way of countering a Lionel Messi in “scintillating form” for Argentina.
“I am immensely proud. It is great to be through to the final but it was not an easy victory,” Deschamps said after an early goal by Theo Hernandez and a late finish from substitute Randal Kolo Muani at Al Bayt Stadium saw off the first ever African or Arab team to reach a World Cup semi-final.
“We needed a mixture of quality, experience and team spirit, and in difficult periods we had to dig deep but I am really satisfied and proud of my players.”
France are aiming to become the first team in 60 years to win back-to-back
World Cup titles after Brazil’s double victories in 1958 and 1962.
However they must prepare to face an Argentina side who have been inspired on their way to the final by Messi and who will be seeking revenge for a 4-3 defeat when the teams met in the last 16 four years ago.
“Messi has been in scintillating form since the start of the tournament,” Deschamps admitted.
“Four years ago things were different. He played as a centre forward, whereas now he is playing in a front two or just in behind the striker.
“He looks in great shape and of course he is one of the best players in the world so we will try to counter Messi’s threat as much as possible, just as Argentina will try to stop the influence of some of my players.”
FOUR hundred players make up the fullpacked field slugging it out for top honors in the Chairman’s Charity Cup beginning Friday, all geared up for a two-day battle of shotmaking and wits in a competitive but fun atmosphere at the Legends and Masters courses of the Manila Southwoods in Carmona, Cavite.
The cast includes those coming off a triumphant campaign in the Fil-Am Invitational in Baguio recently, headed by Jun Plana, whose Manila Southwoods’ seniors squad retained its crown in the Fil Championship division. Plana is also the defending men’s overall gross champion in the Chairman’s Charity Cup, back as the host club’s premier Members and Sponsors tournament after the pandemic.
Other titles up for grabs in the event, supported by Platinum sponsors The Turf Company, Inc., Agrexplore Corp., Malveda Properties & Development Corp., Starlux Airlines Co. Ltd., Newport World Resorts, Mit-Air, Inc., Klio International Marketing Corp. and HBW Enterprises Co., are the seniors and ladies overall gross, Division I, II, III and IV in men’s and seniors, and Division I, II and III in the ladies side, and the Sponsors/Guests.
The Individual Net Stableford Points scoring system will be used for Members while the System 36 format will be applied in the Sponsors division.
The shotgun start fires off at 7:30 a.m. at the Legends and at 8 a.m. at the Masters on both days while the face-to-face awards rites and raffle program will be held at the Southwoods Veranda over a gala luncheon on Saturday.
A Mitsubishi Strada and an Xpander are also staked as hole-in-one prizes with Gran Sportivo also putting up a golf cart, Newport World Resorts offering villa accommodation with food & beverages for 10 pax for aces and Srixon offering a Cobra LTDx Iron Set.
A four-night Southeast Asia cruise for two, including of round-trip Manila-Singapore-Manila tickets, courtesy of the Royal Caribbean and Baron Travel, will also be up for grabs for hole-in-one feats in the tournament backed by Platinum sponsors The Turf Company, Inc., Agrexplore Corp., Malveda Properties & Development Corp., Starlux Airlines Co. Ltd., Newport World Resorts, Mit-Air, Inc., Klio International Marketing Corp. and HBW Enterprises Co.
The Xpander MPV (multi-purpose vehicle), the Royal Caribbean’s Southeast Asia cruise and Newport World Resorts’ villa accommodation will be raffled off if no one makes a hole-inone in the event supported by Gold sponsor Abomar Equipment Sales Corp. and Silver backers are Hydrotech Irrigation & General Services, Le Chef, Inc., MRT Development Corp. and Suzuki Clubfitter.