La Salle, Ateneo still
keeping rosters secret
ONE week before the big clash, La Salle and
Ateneo are keeping their cards close to their chest in their
bids to come up with surprises in the fourth La Salle-Ateneo
Match Play ’07 set on Dec. 19-21 at the Tagaytay Highlands.
Skippers of both teams yesterday said they
are still finalizing their respective rosters and hope to come
up with an announcement this weekend.
Eighteen players, including two women and
two senior players, will compose each squad, with the Archers
gunning for a third straight victory and the Eagles out to
even things up with their arch rivals in a Ryder Cup
style-format event.
Unlike the Ryder Cup, after which the event
is patterned, both teams are not required to divulge their
lineups until the eve of the match.
La Salle, however, is expected to be led by
reigning Asia-Pacific Seniors champion Tommy Manotoc, Raffy
Garcia, Francis Gaston, Miko Alejandro, William Hong, JP
Reyes, King Stehmeier and Louie Garcia, while reigning
back-to-back national seniors titlist Iggy Clavecilla,
Philippine Amateur Champion Tonite Fernando, Manoling Chan,
Jose Mari Hechanova, Jingy Tuason, Marcel Puyat, Jun jun Plana
and Jeric Hechanova are expected to spearhead Ateneo’s bid.
Teboy Javier will be a non-playing captain.
The three-day event will kick off with the
ceremonial tee-off on Dec. 18, with the first round set on
Dec. 19 with six foursome matches. The six four-ball matches
will be played on Dec. 20 and the deciding 18 singles matches
will be played Dec. 21.
Belle Corp. and Tagaytay Highlands, which have gained the
rights to stage the La Salle-Ateneo Match Play, have promised
to institutionalize the event in the next four to five years
in cooperation with the DLSAA Golf Club and the Ateneo Golf
Foundation.
