The Aboitiz Invitational makes its return to the Asian Development Tour (ADT) calendar next month with an increased prize fund of $100,000 and field toughened up by the country’s top guns and a slew of top foreign players.

The fourth edition of the event will be staged at the Riviera Golf and Country Club’s Couples Course for the first time from Aug. 27-30 with the prize pot seeing a significant 53.8 percent jump from $65,000, which was offered during the first three editions held at the Cebu Country Club since 2011.

The Aboitiz Invitational, won by Jay Bayron in the inaugurals and Elmer Salvador the last two years, will also mark the ADT’s third stop in the Philippines this season and raises the schedule to a record total of 20 tournaments.

The ADT, which is the gateway to the premier Asian Tour, was launched in 2010 with five tournaments before growing to eight in 2011, 13 in 2012 and 16 in 2013.

Salvador, who claimed his third ADT victory at the ICTSI Riviera Classic at Langer course last May, played his way into the record books by becoming the first player to successfully defend a title on the ADT at the Aboitiz Invitational last year.

The tournament will feature leading Filipino stars such as Angelo Que, a three-time Asian Tour winner, Tony Lascuna, young gun Miguel Tabuena, 2012 ADT Order of Merit winner Bayron and back-to-back defending champion Salvador, who will compete against an international field from the ADT.

Erramon Aboitiz, president and chief executive officer of Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc., expressed his delight with the extended partnership with the burgeoning ADT.

“The first three editions of the Aboitiz Invitational have been very successful and we are delighted to increase the prize fund to US$100,000 this year. We are proud to support our homegrown golfing talents as they pursue greater heights on the elite Asian Tour,” said Aboitiz.

“Aboitiz has always championed an active and sustainable lifestyle through sports. We hold annual sports festivals where our different business units will compete in various sports actively. We also support many external sports events such as the very first Aboitiz TRI2014. It is our honor to be involved with the growth of professional golf in the region and we look forward to a very successful tournament in August,” added Aboitiz.

 (The Philippine Star) | Updated July 18, 2014 - 12:00am

ILOILO, Philippines – Cassius Casas banged in a 12-foot birdie putt on the ninth to cap a fiery windup for a two-under 68 as he joined a charging Arnold Villacencio and erstwhile leader Elmer Salvador in a crowded leaderboard halfway through the ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge in Sta. Barbara here yesterday.

Casas, out to nail his first win on this year’s ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour after a couple of near-misses, hit three birdies in the last nine holes at the front, including a chip-in from 20 yards on No. 3 and a tap-in on the next as he put himself in contention for the top P200,000 purse with a three-under 137 at the Iloilo Golf and Country Club.

Salvador settled for an even par 70 after a 67 while Villacencio shot the day’s best 67 to force a three-way tie for the lead even as a host of others stood a stroke or two behind, ensuring a wild chase for the top plum in the last two rounds of the P1 million event sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.

Michael Bibat stayed in the hunt for a second pro win with a 68, the same score churned out by the long-hitting Orlan Sumcad for joint fourth at 138 while reigning back-to-back Order of Merit champion Tony Lascuna inched his way closer at 139, also after a 68, in the company of Miguel Ochoa, who shot a 68, Ferdie Aunzo, who matched par 70, and Jun Bernis, who hobbled with a 71.

Angelo Que, also eyeing a first win this year, also bounced back into contention with a 68 after a 72 and tied ICTSI Splendido winner Jay Bayron, who carded a 71, guaranteeing a shootout in the final 36 holes of the ninth leg of the 16-stage circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

“This is the plan, to be on the lead because that takes off some pressure on me,” said Casas, who closed out last season’s circuit with a victory at ICTSI Wack Wack Championship and opened 2014 with a second win at The Country Club Invitational last February.

But the country’s former No. 1 struggled at the start of the tour, missing the cut a couple of times and fading in the final round in two other tournaments. But in the share of the lead this week, the ace Davaoeno shotmaker is upbeat of his title chances with two rounds left in the 72-hole tournament.

“It is up for the rest to think of how to catch up with me. But it’s going to be tough with a wet course and unpredictable putting surface,” said Casas in Pilipino.

Salvador did grope for form on the greens after an impressive 67 in tough condition Wednesday, flubbing birdie putts on Nos. 13 and 18 and missing keeping the solo lead with an even 70.

“Those putts on Nos. 13 and 18 were fairly easy but I just couldn’t drop my putts,” said Salvador, seeking to score a follow-up to this victory at ICTSI Riviera fashioned out in equally demanding condition.

But Casas and Salvador will have Villacencio to contend in their battle for the lead in today’s third round as the 45-year-old Fernando Air Base pro got a view of the top with that 67.

Villacencio, hoping to finally nail the elusive win after previously blowing a couple of title chances with a final round meltdown, made four birdies inside eight feet to negate a lone bogey on No. 6.

“I played well today (yesterday) although I never expected to tie Cassius and Elmer for the lead.  But I am lucky to be where I am now,” said Villacencio, who placed third at Mt. Malarayat in 2009 and at Eastridge in 2011.

But focus will also be on Lascuna, Bayron and Que, who are expected to make their charge in moving day in the event backed by Nike Golf, Pacsports, Srixon, FootJoy, It’s More Fun in the Philippines, Callaway, Mizuno, Custom Clubmakers, Titleist, Sharp and KZG.

“I’m not too far behind and I believe I can still make it with a good third round score,” said Que. 

ByGolf Channel Digital
July 18, 2014, 1:14 am

Doris Chen's quest to reach her third USGA championship final took another step forward Thursday when she defeated Lauren Diaz-Yi in the round of 16 of the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship in Dupont, Wash.

Chen, 21, who won the 2014 NCAA Division I individual championship for the University of Southern California, defeated Diaz-Yi, 19, of Thousand Oaks, Calif., 6 and 4. It was a small measure of revenge for last year's championship match, which Diaz-Yi won, 10 and 9.

After losing to Diaz-Yi in the 2013 final, Chen scored a 4-and-3 quarterfinal victory over Diaz-Yi at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship.

Chen also won the 2010 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship.

In the quarterfinals, Chen will face Eun Jeong Seong of South Korea. The other quarterfinal matchups are Alana Uriell of Carlsbad, Calif., vs. Gabriella Then of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.; Sirene Blair of South Jordan, Utah, vs. Cindy Ha of Demarest, N.J.; and Dominique Galloway of Rio Rancho, N.M., vs. Fumie Jo of China.

Pauline del Rosario came through with a blazing finish and won by three shots over over Thailand’s Benyapa Niphatsophon and Sana Tufail of Abu Dhabi in the FCG International Junior Golf tournament at the Sycuan Oak Glen Course in San Diego, California Wednesday.

Pauline del Rosario holds her huge trophy after winning the FCG International Junior golf crown heading to next week’s Junior World in San Diego.

Six shots ahead of the field after two rounds of play, Del Rosario bogeyed the first five holes, enabling Taiwanese Minjou Chen to tie the top ICTSI-backed bet with an eagle on the par-5 No. 7. But the Filipina ace recovered in time, birdying Nos. 8 and 10 to regain control then bucked a missed-green bogey on No. 16 with birdies in the last two holes for a one-over 73.

“Pau played almost perfect golf at the back, hitting all the fairways and greens and reaching the two par-5s (Nos. 10 and 18) in two for birdies,” said Team ICTSI coach Bong Lopez. “She simply saved her best for last.”

Del Rosario, who opened with a 71 and surged ahead with a four-under 68 Tuesday, thus wound up with a 212, beating Niphatsophon and Tufail, also birdied the 18th to finish with identical 70s and 215s, by three in the premier 15-18 division.

Chen failed to sustain her fightback as she fumbled with bogeys on Nos. 9 and 13 and settled for a 72 and solo fourth at 217.

Princess Superal, the spearhead of Team ICTSI, birdied No. 2 but missed a couple more from close range and finished with a 73 for a share of seventh with teammate Abby Arevalo, who matched par 72, at 219.

The Northern Irishman recorded seven birdies in an seven-under 64 to set the pace a week out from the Open.

Swede Kristoffer Broberg and Argentine Ricardo Gonzalez shot 65 as Northern Ireland's Michael Hoey took 66.

Scots Marc Warren and David Drysdale and English duo Luke Donald and Richard Bland were four under, with defending champion Phil Mickelson three under.

McIlroy, who has not played in the event since 2009, has had mixed success in Europe this season, winning the PGA Championship at Wentworth but then missing the cut at his home Irish Open.

Mickelson won the 

"Everything was pretty much on," said McIlroy, who is recently back from a "lads holiday" in Ibiza. "I controlled my ball flight really well which is the key to me playing well in these conditions and on these courses.

"I've been working the last 10 days on keeping the ball down, hitting easy shots and taking spin off it and I went out there today and really trusted what I practised."

"I'm driving the ball really well and I feel if I can get driver in my hand and have an advantage on the field I should do it.

"Going out this morning in these conditions I thought anything in the 60s would be a good score so to shoot something better than that is pleasing."

The 25-year-old took advantage of the 20mph wind and drove the green on the downhill 436-yard par-four 13th.

"I told Poulter it was a three-wood but it was a driver," said the world number eight. "He was on the green trying to flex his muscles."

Mickelson carded an eagle, two birdies and one bogey for a three-under-par 68 as he gears up to defend both this week and next week's Open Championship at Hoylake.

"The conditions were tough and I was surprised to see some of those low scores," said Mickelson. "But, I feel like I played well and had a good putting day until the last. It's a good first day.

"I think Royal Aberdeen is a great links test and a great way to get ready for the British Open, but so was Castle Stuart.

"I love that the Scottish Open is moving to these different courses to give a player like me a chance to see some great, great golf."

Justin Rose, Paul Casey, Matthew Fitzpatrick and Darren Clarke ended two under alongside Scots Russell Knox and Peter Whiteford.

Lee Westwood finished on one-over 72 for the round.