Filipinos seek hot start to end Nomura Cup drought

Team Philippines goes into Nomura Cup battle starting Tuesday with a three-man squad that is the most talented that it can assemble, as the Filipinos try to win what is also known as the Asia-Pacific team championship for the first time in its 62-year history.

Jet Hernandez and Shinichi Suzuki, who won national titles last month, and Rolando Bregente, the runner-up to them in both those events, comprise the formidable PH crew that will try to unseat Vietnam and beat traditional golfing nations like Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, among others.

The trio sampled the Bayhood No. 9 International Golf Club in Beijing, China on Monday, just hours after touching down. Though the course has some tight bends, undulating greens and is longer than usual, Hernandez, Suzuki and Bregente basically said that they “will be fine.”

“I think if we commit to our targets and fire at the right spots on our approach shots, we should be fine,” the 21-year-old Hernandez, who ruled the PH Strokeplay Championship at Pradera Verde, said. “The greens are a little tricky, but I think we will get used to it as the week goes on.”

Suzuki is the youngest in the group at 18, but is a seasoned campaigner. He won the PH Match Play title over Bregente at Luisita.

“The course this week is amazing,” Suzuki told the Inquirer. The layout is pretty challenging but will be a very fun one. I like our chances this week. because anyone can play well on this course.

“We just have to give our best and let God do His will.”

The Philippines has two second place finishes in the first 30 editions of the tournament that it founded in 1963 together with Japan and Chinese Taipei. INQ