Michael Bibat and Zanieboy Gialon, who won two of four legs in the Philippine Golf Tour this year, are among the top professionals who have signed up for two tournaments that will be played in Zamboanga City next month.
Bibat ruled the ICTSI Eagle Ridge last July while Gialon topped the ICTSI Caliraya Springs in April.
The twin 36-hole tournaments, sponsored by SAFTI, are set for 12 to 15 October and offer a combined cash pot of P1.5 million.
The Zamboanga pro golf tournament will be played in the first two days with P500,000 at stake. It is open to both male and female professionals.
Two venues will be used — the Zamboanga Golf and Beach Park and the Edwin Andrews Air Force Base golf course.
The pro tournament will be followed by the Zamboanga pro-am which offers a total purse of P1 million.
The 36-hole meet pairs pros with amateurs who will play two formats — scramble and best-ball.
Amateurs with a handicap of 5 and below, however, cannot team up with pros ranked in the Top 20 of any tour.
Amateurs are allowed a maximum handicap of eight.
Male pros will tee off on yellow markers while male and female pros will play off the blue markers. Senior amateurs will play off white while lady amateurs start from red tees.
The top 20 teams will receive cash prizes with the rest receiving consolation prizes.
The first player to score a hole-in-one will get P50,000.
Among the big names joining the events are former Philippine Open champion Robert Pactolerin, ex-Philippine Masters winner Jerson Balasabas, tour winners Rupert Zaragosa, Mhark Fernando, Richard Sinfuego, Marvin Dumandan and Antolin Fernando.
Nicole Fleetwood is the only female pro to have signed so far.
A total of 61 pros have registered.
For information and registration, contact organizer Jocelyn Duque at 09950212877.
