A group of local golfers is trying to emulate the world’s biggest and oldest amateur golf tournament with their own version this May.
The team play, handicap game three-day tournament hopes to draw 72 teams in the event at the Camp John Hay Golf Course, which co-hosts the annual Fil-Am Invitational Golf Tournament, and the Pinewoods Golf and Country Club and Golf Course, the latest golfing facility to rise in Baguio and in nearby Tuba, Benguet.
“We have already sent the invitations to various golf clubs and associations in the Cordillera and the rest of the country,” said Arnel Peil, president of the organizing Cordillera Golfers Foundation, Inc. which hopes to see the inaugural staging of the CFGI Cup on May 18 and 20 at the two links.
He said that with 72 teams, the CFGI could see a minimum of 288 players seeing action in the PAL Stableford tournament where an ace scores six, a birdie three and a par is worth two and a bogey one. After that, the player’s team is penalized by two.
Although it is a team event, individual awards will be given.
Entry fee is PhP50,000 per team of four players with an optional fifth alternate.
There will be a regular division with a championship flight, as well as A, B and C.
Only the four teams with the lowest total handicap will be entered in the top flight. While those entered in Class A will be the 12th lowest or fifth to 16th, Class B from the 17th to 28th and Class C from 29th to 40th.
The Seniors Division will have two flights – A for the top 50 percent, while the lower 50 percent will be lumped under flight B.
Each player is entitled to a special token, dinner, and raffle prizes.
The practice rounds will be on May 16 and 17 in both courses, with formal games to start on May 18. Players will get to play at CJH for the first two days, while Pinewood will be the venue for the whole stretch.
Peil expressed hope that with the support of the golfing community, the foundation can reach out to learners in depressed areas in the Cordilleras, including Baguio City.
He added that CGFI is also planning to conduct outreach mission to help people in need of medical assistance.
Earlier, CGFI Corporate Secretary Marlo Quadra has dispatched letters to the Department of Education to help identify the possible school beneficiaries of the tournament.
Having started in 1949, the Fil-Am Invitational Golf Tournament is now a two-week event held from November until December and draws more than 1,400 players from all over the Philippines and the Pacific region. Pigeon Lobien
