JOBIM Carlos sets out for the Philippine Amateur Open Golf Championship confident and in top form, driven to cap a remarkable amateur career as he battles a talented international field beginning on Tuesday at the Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club in General Trias, Cavite.
“It’s not really hard to be motivated in winning a national event. I just want to win as much as I can before turning pro,” said Carlos, who beat Rupert Zaragosa by three in last year’s event organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines also at the Aoki course.
“I expect to win but the key to it would be playing well in the wind,” said Carlos, who has qualified for the Philippine Golf Tour.
The former Universty of San Francisco standout believes Zaragosa remains his top rival, along with Ira Alido and Jelbert Gamolo.
Carlos is looking to score a follow-up to the victory in last week’s NGAP National Doubles with Inigo Raymundo.
Also among the top players vying for honors are Aidric Chan, Jolo Magcalayo, Ivan Monsalve, Gab Manotoc, Dan Cruz, Lanz Uy, Raymart Tolentino, Carlo Villaroman and Weiwei Gao and foreign bets Tom Ferguson, Leon Philip D’Souza, Sim Seung Jae, Ko Myeong Hun, Jun Jhon, Lee Geon, Lim Su Min, Kang Dong Guk, Tom Kim, Toshinori Iwasaki and Christian Boshoff.
Focus will also be on the women’s side with Thailand Junior champion Yuka Saso and Harmie Constantino bannering the local challenge against Malaysians Nur Durriyah Damian and Genevieve Ling I-Rynn, Koreans Hwang Min Jeong, Koh Eun A, Jang Yun Ji and Lee Eun Kyung.
Also seeing action are NGAP National Doubles champions Regina de Guzman and Cassy Isagawa, Junia Gabasa, LK Go, Kristine Torralba, Laja Barro, Jona Magcalayo, Nikki Bruce, Nicole Abelar, Felicia Medalla, Riko Nagai and former Junior World champion Daniella Uy.
The top 50 in the men’s side after 36 holes and the top 30 in the women’s side will advance to the final two rounds of the kickoff leg of this year’s PLDT Group National Amateur Golf Tour hosted by the Eagle Ridge GCC and sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation, Smart, PLDT and Metro Pacific Investment Corp.