The Manila Southwoods bannered by young top amateur golfers who won the titles in sweeping fashion during the 69th Fil-Am golf in 2018. (From L to R) Lance Uy, veteran Junjun Plana, Japanese imports Aguri Iwasaki and Yuto Katsurogawa, the individual champion, Carl Corpuz, 14 year olds Masaichi Otake and Josh Jorge, Jeff Jung (the youngest at 13), Sean Ramos, Liam Cunningham and Aidric Chan, who now leads the qualifiers for the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG). (Photo courtesy of Fil-Am Golf)
BAGUIO CITY-- With the launching of the Junior Golf component of the world’s biggest and oldest amateur golf tournament in the world, the 70th edition of the Fil-Am Golf Invitational Tournament will have a very late tee off this December.
Schedule of the 70th Fil-Am golf released by the organizers see a December 1 start for the senior, super senior and lower flights of the regular division.
Play will start for said flights on December 4 to 9. Practice rounds for the higher flights of the regular division, flights A to E and the Championship, will start on December 10 with the competitions slated on December 13 and will be played until the 18th.
The late start is for the organizers is to give way to the South East Asian Games (SEAG), where the country’s top amateur golf players will be seeing action. These will be the same players who will see action in the Championship flight of the Fil-Am.
The SEAG will be staged from November 30 until December 10.
Fil-Am golf co-chair Anthony de Leon said he and co-chair Tim Allen of Camp John Hay will come out with a statement soon.
“We will come out with a joint statement with Tim Allen,” de Leon messaged the Philippine News Agency (PNA) through Facebook messenger on Saturday.
The country’s top golfers who will banner top golf clubs in the premiere Fil and Am Championship flights will see action at the SEAG to represent the flag and country.
Currently, Aidric Chan of the Manila Southwoods, the reigning Fil-Am Fil Championship titlist, ruled the first stage of the SEAGames qualifier at the Luisita Golf and Country Club Friday.
The reigning national junior champion is three shots ahead of three other players including cousin and Southwoods team mate Carl Corpus.
Chan will lead the last 13 hopefuls as they head to the second stage starting June 10 at the Robert Trent Sr. designed course.
The top three finishers will represent the country in the SEAG.
The SEAG which will have close to 10,000 delegates from members of the ASEAN will open at the Philippine Arena on November 30.
Last year, the Fil-Am golf was staged quite late to accommodate US-based players who observed Thanksgiving prior to flying to the Philippines.
The Fil-Am golf was initiated by the late Senator Jaime dela Rosa and Camp John Hay commander Maj. Archie Black in 1949 as friendlies for Filipinos and American servicemen on tour in the Philippines, thus the Fil-Am name from a small group, it has gradually grown to what is the biggest amateur golf tournament rivaled only by the PAL Interclub.
The two golf competitions are the country’s major men’s amateur golf tournament.
Last June 3, Fil-Am launched the Fil-Am JunGolf Invitational for players 8-17 years old. an effort for the celebration of the event on its 70th year. (PNA)
