PH Am golf unfolds at Wack Wack East

MANILA—Jobim Carlos and Chihiro Ikeda banner a stellar men’s and women’s field seeing action today in the 2011 Philippine Amateur golf championship at the unforgiving East Course of Wack Wack in Mandaluyong.

Considered the best in the current crop of young local parbusters, Carlos and Ikeda are installed as solid picks to dominate today’s start of the 36-hole qualifying round.

The top 32 men and 16 women players after two rounds of stroke play will qualify for the match play stage that begins Wednesday.

Clyde Mondilla and Zannie Boy Gialon are the other notable entries together with Junior amateur champion Ruperto Zaragosa III.

Expected to hound Ikeda are Dottie Ardina, Andrea Unson and Jayvee Agojo.

The National Golf Association of the Philippines is organizing the event exclusive for Filipinos with Pancake House and SOC Land as chief sponsors and Great Depot, Callaway and Odyssey Golf as event backers.

The East course recently hosted the Philippine Open won by American Berry Henson at the expense of Filipino Jay Bayron by one shot.

Carlos, who will start collegiate schooling in the United States in the next few months, hopes to redeem himself after losing the Philippine Amateur Open to Korean Wang Jeung-hyun at the Riviera two months ago.

Meanwhile, NGAP secretary general Jun Arceo said the amateur golf body is grateful that Wack Wack, through its president, Philip Ella Juico, has agreed to host the tournament.