PH slots for DHL standouts

SLOTS in the Philippine national pool await the top players of the 18th WWWExpress-DHL Amateur Open that tees off on Tuesday at the tree-lined North course of Canlubang Golf complex in Laguna.

Rupert Zaragosa, the pint-sized former world age-group champion, leads a banner field in the 72-hole event which the National Golf Association of the Philippines will use to determine prospects for the national team seeing action in the Nomura and Putra Cups and the Southeast Asian Games.

Several national team standouts in the past, like Juvic Pagunsan, Jun Bernis and Jonel Ababa, won the DHL Am at least once.

The 16-year-old Zaragosa, who once held the men’s and junior’s national championships in the same year, is the man to beat in the event that is a part of the PLDT Group National Amateur Golf Tour.

Another player worth watching is Alabang mainstay Keanu Jahns, a 17-year-old half-German who was the revelation in the recent Philippine Airlines Interclub championship won by Cebu Country Club in Cebu.

Jahns scored seven-under-par 137 in two rounds at the tough Cebu Country Club.

Incidentally, a 54-hole women’s event will also be held starting Wednesday with Dottie Ardina and Jayvie Agojo leading the field.

The event is being backed by Pancake House and PacSports.