Philippine Amateur Open tees off

Gregory Foo and Jerome Ng, the spearheads of the Singapore national men’s squad, arrived Tuesday ready to battle the Philippines’ finest as the 2012 PH Amateur Open Golf championship gets off the ground at tough Canlubang North in Laguna.

Foo, the former junior champion, and Ng, who debuted as a Putra Cupper when Singapore ruled the event at the Bhukit course in 2007, will come into the 72-hole event as two of the favorites starting tomorrow at the tree-lined, wind-swept layout.

Rupert Zaragosa, the pint-sized 14-year-old who is coming off a phenomenal year, is the defending champion. Zaragosa, and Canlubang teammates Art Arbole and Jobim Carlos are the fancied Philippine bets in the event presented by Globe Telecom, Inc., Pancake House and Airphil Express and Tanduay.

Zaragosa won both the men’s and boy’s match play titles last year, while Carlos finished second to Korean expatriate Kim Heung-jun last year at Riviera.

And while the foreign participants have started jetting in, the North course, the Robert Trent Jones-designed gem, is being spruced up to championship form.

Canlubang North is a precise-hitter’s course as errant shots off the tees and approaches that land on the wrong sides of the greens will be punished, giving the Filipinos—the Cangolf team members in particular—a great advantage with their local knowledge.

Singapore has also sent its best lady bet in Amelia Yong, its reigning women’s amateur champion in the distaff side that also tees off Thursday.

Aside from Yong, Singapore will also be represented by Joey Poh and Koh Sock Hwee to complete a stellar women’s roster that will also include Andie Unson, Dottie Ardina, the comebacking Jayvee Agojo and Lovelyn Guioguio.

Also competing in the event, organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines are Malaysian Albright Chong and a host of Korean expatriates playing out of Riviera, Calatagan, Manila Southwoods and Orchard.

Vivienne Chin, one of Malaysia’s leading players, is also in the ladies fold.