The National Golf Association of the Philippines on Saturday stressed that the Philippine Open—the oldest national championship in Asia—will push through as scheduled from Nov. 12 to 15 despite the withdrawal of BingoPlus as the tournament’s main presenter.

The Philippine Sports Commission and the Asian Tour have stepped in as the tournament’s new chief backers, with NGAP president Al Panlilio assuring that the 72-hole championship will remain at least a $1 million (around P63 million) event to be hosted by the Masters of Manila Southwoods.

“We are very grateful to Chair Pato (Gregorio of the PSC), Mr. Cho (Minn Thant of the Asian Tour), and of course, to Manila Southwoods, that we will still be able to hold the event as scheduled,” said Panlilio, who recently came out of a crucial meeting with Asian Tour officials and secured the commitment of several other firms as sponsors.

“There are several other entities from different businesses which are very willing to make this happen,” Panlilio said. “We are just ironing out the details of everything before we make the announcement.”

The Masters has been undergoing preparations for the past two months, with the course being spruced up to championship shape to challenge the best golfers in the region.

Frenchman Julien Sale is the defending champion after breaking through as a professional last year while also becoming the first debutant to win the Philippine Open. He fired a final-round five-under-par 65 for a 269 total to edge Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana and Japan’s Tomoyo Ikemura by one stroke.

Miguel Tabuena was also in the field and gave a gallant chase as the best Filipino finisher, ending the tournament just four shots behind Sale in front of a big crowd that followed him throughout the week.

The post PSC, Asian Tour step in to back Philippine Open after BingoPlus exit appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.

Deo Akope joined Rodell Gaita at the top of the second leg of the MTN Pro Tee leaderboard after Wednesday’s Round Two at Entebbe Golf Club.

The legendary pro moved up two places after playing 2-under 69 for an aggregate of 5-under 137. Gaita, who opened with a 4-under 67 on Tuesday, returned 1-under 70.

However, Round Two belonged to Irene Nakalembe, who fired a 4-under 67 to move nine places up the leaderboard.

“Today was one of those days where everything was working so well; I hit 18 greens in regulation,” Nakalembe said. “I can’t thank God enough because things like these don’t happen often.”

Nakalembe’s best career round as a pro was littered with six birdies, and just a couple of bogeys on holes 4 and 10.

Meanwhile, leg one winner Abraham Ainamani, who returned 70, is one shot off the lead with a total score of 4-under 138.

Uganda Pro Open winner Ronald Rugumayo is tied with Nakalembe for fourth.

Players who made the cut

The post Pro Tee: Akope shoots to the front as Nakalembe soars appeared first on Kawowo Sports.

The Philippine trio struggled to find its footing in the second round of the 31st Nomura Cup on Wednesday, carding a 146 to lose considerable ground and drop into a tie for third with China and defending champion Vietnam.

The result left the Filipinos 10 strokes behind leader Hong Kong-China, but with 36 holes still to play, the young squad remains confident that the deficit is manageable as it chases the country’s first title in the event, also known as the official Asia-Pacific team championship.

Reigning national Match Play champion Shinichi Suzuki, who failed to count in the opening round on Tuesday, bounced back with a level-par 72 at Bayhood No. 9 Golf Club in Beijing. It was a respectable effort, but Suzuki felt his score could have been much lower had he avoided a difficult day on the sleek greens.

Newly crowned Philippine Strokeplay champion Jet Hernandez also encountered his share of struggles, carding a 74 that became the Filipinos’ second counting score. First-round leader Rolando Bregente posted a 75, but his score did not count after one unfortunate hole practically derailed his round.

“Today wasn’t our day,” Suzuki, at 18 the youngest member of the squad, said after failing to break par despite missing just four greens. “But there’s still a lot of golf to be played, and anything is possible with God on our side.”

Hong Kong-China remained steady, putting together a 138 anchored by Ethan Tian’s 67 to reach 278, or 10-under par for the tournament, on the challenging layout.

Japan, meanwhile, stayed six strokes behind after matching its opening-round 142 for a 284 total.

Tian’s score did not count for Hong Kong-China in the opening round, with Markus Zachary Lam instead providing a 71 for the team’s six-under-par opening day.

Mao Matsuyama fired another 71, while Kaito Sato matched him with the same score as Japan assembled another 142. China and Vietnam both shot 143 to join the Philippines in a three-way tie for third.

“The team talked about the deficit, and we’re still confident that we can make something happen,” the 21-year-old Hernandez said after what he described as a weird day off the tees. “I don’t think any of us have played to what we are capable of yet.”

Bregente’s round unraveled on the par-3 fourth, his 14th hole of the day, when he hit a 7-iron slightly fat and ended up with a triple-bogey 6. The costly hole practically accounted for the difference between his solid play and his final score.

“None of us really played well, which gives me the confidence that we can turn things around with two rounds left,” Bregente said in Filipino. “Any of us can have a really good day; we just have to work hard for it.”

The post Philippines slips to third after rough Nomura Cup Round 2 appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.