Putra Cuppers get going today

The Philippines takes another crack at the Southeast Asian golf team championship with an experienced roster starting today  at the Royal Selangor Golf Club in Kuala Lumpur.

With a team bannered by veteran campaigners Mark Fernando and Jonel Ababa, the Filipinos have high hopes of finally hoisting the Putra Cup for the first time since 1991 in Burma.

Standing in their way are defending champion Thailand and Singapore, the regional powers who have taken over RP’s old lofty spot over the last two decades.

Jessie Balasabas and teenager Miguel Tabuena will provide support to Fernando and Ababa in the four-to-play, three-to-count event set for four days.

The 16-year-old Tabuena, fresh off his win in the Malaysian Junior Open, is playing for the RP men’s team for the first time after an outstanding year in the junior ranks.

Tommy Manotoc, the non-playing captain who was part of several triumphant RP teams in the past, has guaranteed an improvement on the squad’s third place finishes in the last two years because of a lineup he considers to be the strongest in years.

“We’ll definitely finish better than third,” Manotoc said Saturday.

“This team is the strongest in years. It’s a combination of youth and experience,” said National Golf Association of the Philippines president Leandro Mendoza.

The United States-trained Choo-Tze Huang will spearhead Singapore. He was part of the champion team of 2008.

Thailand, meanwhile, will be bannered by Wasin Sripattranusorn, Supakorn Utaipat, Poom Saksansin and Atthachai Jaichalad.