Golf wants in on race for second gold medal

JAKARTA—Now that the Philippines has already equaled its gold medal haul in the last Asian Games, the real question now is: Who, or which team, will surpass that?

Unnoticed since the start, the Philippine golf teams swing into action on Thursday with high hopes of landing a medal in the 18th edition of this continental sporting showcase, with the three-strong women’s team looming as one of the favorites for championships at Pondok Indah course here.

“This, to my recollection, is one of the best teams we have ever assembled,” nonplaying captain Bones Floro told the Inquirer after overseeing Yuka Saso, LK Go and Bianca Pagdanganan tee off in the last official practice round.

“We are very optimistic [of gold medal chances], and the teams are in high spirits,” Floro said.

Hidilyn Diaz literally gave the sagging spirits of the Philippine contingent here a lift on Tuesday night by winning the country’s first gold medal, and golf looks as a prime candidate to nail the next one on Sunday after four rounds.

Filipino women never won medals better than bronze in the Games, the last from the 2002 team in Busan backstopped by Heidi Chua.

Jamille Jose won the bronze in individual play in 1990 in Beijing, where her team also finished third.

Ramon Brobio is the only Filipino ever to win a gold, doing it in 1986 in Seoul before settling for bronze in his defense four years later in Beijing, where the flamboyant Shigeki Maruyama won.

Rupert Zaragosa, Luis Castro, Wei Wei Gao and LJ Go make up the men’s team, which national coach Rick Gibson said could surprise the field.