PRESS RELEASE
The Country Club, one of the country’s all-exclusive clubs, marks its first-ever hosting of an Asian Tour event as it stages the $300,000 Solaire Open on March 13-16 featuring the cream of the local pro crop and the region’s leading players.
This is actually the second time that the wind-raked TCC course will be staging an international tournament after the Southeast Asian Games in 2005 but this will be the first that the Tom Weiskopf-designed layout will play host to a crack pro international field of an Asian Tour event.
Thomas Arasi, president and chief operating officer of Solaire Resort and Casino, expressed his delight with the extended partnership with the Asian Tour, which is the region’s official sanctioning body for professional golf.
“Solaire is excited to work with the Asian Tour to ensure the continued success of the Solaire Open. We look forward to hosting the best players in the region and believe golf fans will enjoy world-class golf at The Country Club next month,” Arasi said.
Asian Tour chairman Kyi Hla Han lauded the strong commitment from Solaire to grow the game of golf in the Philippines and across the region.
“Over the years, we have witnessed tremendous success from our players on many levels and we are confident they will continue to showcase the very best of Asian golf at the Solaire Open,” said Han.
Lin Wen-tang topped the inaugural Solaire Open last year at Wack Wack with the veteran Taiwanese campaigner back for a title repeat in the 72-hole championship serving as the second leg of this year’s Asian Tour.
The Solaire Open will also feature the top Filipino stars, back-to-back ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit winner Tony Lascuna and fellow Asian Tour regulars Angelo Que, Mars Pucay, Elmer Salvador and Cassius Casas, veteran Frankie Minoza and young gun Miguel Tabuena.
Joining Lin in the foreign challenge are Anirban Lahiri of India, Nicholas Fung of Malaysia and Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh, who are all part of Team Asia who will face Team Europe in the inaugural EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM in Malaysia on March 27-29.
“On behalf of the Asian Tour, I would like to thank the Solaire Group for their unwavering dedication to bring an international golf tournament to the Philippines. Players like Que, Lascuna and Salvador have enjoyed huge success on the Asian Tour and by hosting the Solaire Open, we hope to unearth future champions in the game,” said Han.
