Wide-open Nat’l Doubles tees off at Eastridge

Rupert Zaragosa and LJ Go open their respective bids for yet another national title starting today as they spearhead different tandems in the NGAP’s National Doubles Championship presented by the MVP Sports Foundation at Eastridge.

Zaragosa, the pint-sized college freshman, teams up with JP De Claro, while Go partners with Kevin O’ Brien in the three-day tournament, the last major event of the National Golf Association of the Philippines that forms part of the PLDT Group Amateur Tour.

Zaragosa was lording it over almost everyone in the national amateurs until Go won in impressive fashion earlier in the year at Wack Wack East.

There are several teams tipped to give Zaragosa-De Claro a run for their money including the Jed Dy-Ryan Monsalve, Jude Eustaquio-Larry Patnongon and Tommy Manotoc-Gabriel Manotoc pairs.

Dy-Monsalve won Group II last year and decided to try it out in the premier division this year, while Eustaquio, the former pro, and Patnongon are a potentially explosive pair.

Tommy Manotoc has gone back to high-level play after stepping down as NGAP president earlier this year, and his partnership with son Gabriel makes for one of experience, youth and power.

Day 1 will be two-ball foursome with the second round tomorrow a best-ball affair. The final day will be aggregate scoring.  Musong R. Castillo