SOUTHWOODS ELITE PRO-AM TILT TEES OFF

Envisioned to be held annually as the country’s premier event of its kind, the first-ever Manila Southwoods Pro-Am gets off the ground on Friday with some of the biggest names in local professional golf seeing action paired with crack amateurs at the complex’s well-manicured Masters and Legends courses.

Frankie Miñoza, Juvic Pagunsan and Antonio Lascuña lead a sterling field of pros vying for the title in their 54-hole division even as current and ex-Philippine Team members have also signed up for the 36hole side of team play that will have all groups playing the Masters and Legends once in the next two days.

“We want this to be an annual thing and I think it’s safe to say that we’re getting off on the right foot,” Southwoods golf manager Jerome Delariarte told the Inquirer as the field sampled the courses for the last time on Thursday.

Play calls for four-man teams made up of three amateurs and a pro to play best ball in the first two days, with the pros left to fight it out for the top prize out of the P1 million pot on Sunday at the Masters, the picturesque Jack Nicklaus-created gem that has been voted as one of the world’s best courses several times.

Pagunsan, the Japan Tour campaigner, will be paired with club members Bing Lapuz, Maru Sotto and Senate President Tito Sotto in the 7:30 flight teeing off at No. 1 of the Masters.

Miñoza, long regarded as the finest pro this country has ever produced, will be in the company of Nolan Enriquez, Almario Alix and Richard Santos, while Lascuña, a dominant force in the Philippine Golf Tour in the last decade, was drawn to team up with Cecile Tan, Samantha Tan and Jee Cabochan.

Others in the pro field are former PH Open runner-up Jay Bayron, former PH Masters champion Jessie Balasabas, Justin Quiban and ex-Open champ Robert Pactolerin.