Southwoods still the team to beat in 74th Fil-Am Golf

MANILA, Philippines — The question remains which team can stop the Southwoods juggernaut as the Carmona-based club tries to extend its reign to a 10th straight year in the 74th Januarius Fil-Am Invitational at the Camp John Hay Golf Club and Baguio Country Club courses from November 26 to December 14.

With Shin Suzuki, Miko Granada, Jet Hernandez, Enrique Dimayuga and Zeus Sara, Southwoods is no doubt still the team to beat in the 74th Fil-Am that will feature a record 260 teams comprised of around 1,400 players.

Januarius has tapped Masa Otake to team up with Terrence Macatangay, Jet Mathay, Ray Sangil and Ayon Sanchez, and they hope they can pool resources and numbers to challenge the champions.

Eastridge is another team that will be out to provide a challenge and put up an exciting Cinderella story in the event steeped in history, pride and tradition.

The regular Fil-Am Championship is set December 5-14, succeeding the seniors Fil-Am slated November 26 to December 4, with the players tackling contrasting challenges offered by John Hay and BCC.

It could well be Southwoods versus Luisita in the fight for the seniors crown.

“The question is who can formulate a way to challenge Southwoods which will try to extend their run to a 10th title,” said Fil-Am organizing co-chairman Jude Eustaquio of the coming event staking rich hole-in-one and raffle prizes aside from the coveted crown.

Up for grabs as a prize for an ace are two Toyota Race units — one for the seniors and another for the regular.

Then there’s the corporate social responsibility program the Fil-Am Foundation is continuing in connection with the Fil-Am championship.

Fil-Am is supporting a jungolf competition aside from extending help to the Autism Hearts Foundation and the Give Me A Book Foundation, according to BCC general manager Anthony de Leon.