SEAN Ramos and Rianne Malixi hope to ride the momentum of their recent come-from-behind victories as they aim for another pair of title runs in the Riviera MVPSF Amateur Championship unfolding tomorrow, Nov. 8, at Riviera’s Langer course in Silang, Cavite.
Ramos rallied from four strokes down and snared the crown in the NGAP Northern Luzon Regional Championship with a closing 73 at Luisita two weeks ago with the Orchard bet all set for another crack at the crown in the run-up to his SEA Games stint next month.
A slew of others are going all-out to spoil his bid, including recent Cangolf Am Open winner Dan Cruz of Eagle Ridge, Southwoods’ Paolo Barro and Masaichi Otake, Alabang’s Miguel Ilas, Don Petil of Luisita, Josh Jorge, Aguinaldo’s Pierre Ticzon and Riviera-based Koreans Lee Sang Min and Lee Seung Hoon.
Others vying in the 54-hole championship organized and conducted by the National Golf Association and sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation with PLDT Group, Cignal and Metro Pacific Investments as other backers are Tagaytay’s Christian Acero, Perry Bucay of Aguinaldo, Dylan Castillo of Anvaya Cove, Apo’s Miguel Fusilero, Jet Hernandez of Alabang, Orchard’s Kim Min Sung and Kim Tae Soo and Guam’s Nalapon Vongjalorn and Redge Camacho.
Malixi is also bracing for another tough outing in the women’s side of the annual event hosted by Riviera and held under the PLDT National Amateur Tour but she remains confident of nailing her fourth victory in the season. She ruled the Phl Junior Amateur Open at Sherwood, the Phl Amateur Open Match Play at Luisita and the recent Northern Luzon Regional where she fought back from four down and nipped Sophia Blanco in sudden death.
But the rising star from Veterans Golf Club faces a spirited challenge from the likes of Laurea Duque of Alabang, Anvaya Cove’s Jody Castillo and club bets Kwon Min Seo, Kwon Tae Yon and Kim Seo Yun from Korea, guaranteeing an equally exciting battle of shotmaking and wits at one of the country’s toughest courses.
Also on tap are the Special Division (for boys’ and girls’ 12-years-old-and-below) as part of NGAP’s grassroots program, the Mid Amateur section and the Seniors category.
