JUVIC Pagunsan leads the top 30 players
seeded in the Konica Minolta National Pro-Am Golf Championship
set March 4-8 at The Riviera’s Langer course in Silang, Cavite.
The list was released yesterday by the
Professional Golfers Association of the Philippines headed by
Jun Bustamante for the guidance of the tournament sponsored by
U-Bix through its Chairman and President, Atty. Edilberto B.
Bravo.
Pagunsan will join the P3-million event if
his schedule in the Asian Tour allows.
As a result of the latest Top 30 rankings,
the partnership of brothers Jay and Rufino Bayron was
dissolved by tournament officials headed by Commo. Danny
Pizarro (Ret.) of the National Golf Association Philippines’
Organizing Committee.
Newly-turned pro Jay Bayron was No. 9,
effectively denying him the right to partner with a player
with a handicap of 5 or better,
Rufino Bayron, who won the DHL-WWWExpress
tournament at Canlubang last month, plays to a zero handicap
for the Konica event backed by PAL, Pagcor, Stradom
Corporation, Grappa’s, Ser-viceMaster Services, San Miguel
Corporation, S-Yard, Pivo Praha, Epson Printers, Toyota Motor
Phils. Inc. (TMPI), Bank of Commerce, Brother Office
Equipment, Riso Digital Duplicators, BPI, Met-robank, KM
Bizhub, RCBC, Landbank and Unionbank.
Edwin Estrera, Jay Bayron’s professional
partner in winning the tournament last year, was also in the
Top 30 and was likewise disallowed to pair with an amateur
having a handicap of 5 or better.
"It’s getting to be interesting, indeed,"
said Bravo, who in 2001 revived the event that will stake two
Toyota cars this year as hole-in-one prizes through TMPI first
vice president Daniel M. Isla. "With new partnerships being
forged, we can expect the usual thrills again this year."
The all-new Vios will be a hole-in-one prize on March 4 in
the Celebrity Pro-Am headed by former President Ramos. The 10th
generation Corolla Altis is the hole-in-one prize in the
tournament proper March 5-8.
