MORE than three months after a life-threatening drink poisoning incident, Rupert Zaragosa, makes his return to the big scene today as he joins the chase for the first-ever Philippine Amateur Junior (Open) championship at the Cebu Country Club in Cebu.
The 5-foot wonder out of Canlubang is tipped as one of the aces to watch in the 54-hole event along with local talents Gio Gandionco and LJ Go in the centerpiece Group A for players 14 to 17 years old.
Andres Saldaña is also entered together with promising talents Basti Lorenzo and Gabriel Manotoc in the event serving as the fourth leg of the Globe-NGAP circuit backed by Pancake House, Titleist and Golf Depot.
A total of 70 players are vying in four groups in two divisions, with Felicia Medalla headlining the girls’ Group A bracket.
Go and Gandionco keyed Cebu Country Club’s victory in the Philippine Airlines Interclub in Davao last February.
The CCC will play to a par 72 over 6,600 yards, unlike in pro tournaments where two par-5s are made into par-4s.
Zaragosa was hospitalized for more than two weeks last February after drinking a contaminated energy drink, preventing him from defending the PH Am (Closed) championship won by Jik-Jik Abdon.