Tean South, led by Cebuano ace Charles Hong will try to maintain its supremacy over its northern counterparts as the The Duel – North vs South 4 tees off today at Wack Wack Golf and Country’s Club’s East Course in Mandaluyong.
The Southerners played cohesively last year to fashion out a runaway 20-8 victory at the Cebu Country Club and regained the crown they won in the event’s inaugurals in 2012 but lost the following year.
The top 24 players in the current ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour money rankings are slugging it out in the three-day tournament with foursomes (alternate shot) matches kicking off The Duel. Play shifts to four-ball (best ball) tomorrow with the deciding singles (12 matches) set on Thursday.
Joining Hong are reigning PGT Order of Merit winner Tony Lascuña and three-time ADT champion Elmer Salvador along with Cassius Casas, Jay Bayron, Rufino Bayron, Marvin Dumandan, Arnold Villacencio, Orlan Sumcad, Clyde Mondilla, Ferdie Aunzo and Jhonnel Ababa, who proved to be the lynchpin for the squad’s romp last year.
But Team North, under coach Artemio Murakami with Solomon Gines as assistant, is out to even things up on a squad built around Angelo Que and Miguel Tabuena, both winners of two legs in this year’s circuit, Mars Pucay, Joenard Rates, Benjie Magada, Randy Garalde, Mike Bibat, Keanu Jahns, James Ryan Lam, Miguel Ochoa, Gerald Rosales and Jun Bernis.