INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines?Tommy Manotoc was installed as coach and US-based junior standout Judson Eustaquio rounded out the four-man Philippine men?s team to the Southeast Asian Games in last-minute changes recently implemented by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.

Team Philippines? chef de mission Mario Tanchangco was informed of the new developments by the NGAP during the Philippine Olympic Committee?s general meeting at the Wack Wack Golf & Country Club in Mandaluyong City Wednesday.

The Filipinos are seeking to end a four-year golf drought in the Games set in Laos in the second week of December. Juvic Pagunsan won the individual gold and led the team to the championship in the 2005 Games in Manila.

It will be the first national coaching stint for Manotoc, a former national team mainstay who joined hands with the late Luis ?Golem? Silverio in powering the country to numerous Putra Cup titles in the ?70s.

Eustaquio agreed to suit up for the RP squad for the first time upon learning of Manotoc?s appointment Wednesday.

He joins Jonel Ababa, Antonio Asistio II and reigning national champion Mark Fernando in the team, which will try to unseat powerhouse Thailand.

Dropped from the roster was Rufino Bayron, the former DHL Amateur champion who has been struggling with his game of late.

Eustaquio, who has been allowed to take a break from his studies in Florida, is slated to arrive next week.

Bong Lopez, head of the ICTSI program, will handle the ladies squad, which has a legitimate chance of bagging the gold medal with Chihiro Ikeda, Mia Piccio and Dottie Ardina in the lineup.

Manotoc started the National Caddies? Open program in 2005 and since then it has developed numerous RP team members aside from helping power Canlubang and Nike to title sweeps in the PAL Interclub and Fil-Am tournaments, respectively.