Copyright tribune
STA. ROSA, Laguna — Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed — two of the best professional golfers in the world — are not here just to chase glory in the International Series Philippines presented by BingoPlus.They’re here to serve as ambassadors whose goal is to grow the game.Speaking at a news briefing ahead of the first round of the $2-million event on Wednesday at the Sta. Elena Golf and Country Club here, the 41-year-old Johnson stressed that inspiring the future breed of golfers in a country like the Philippines is as important as winning the title.Johnson, a former world No. 1 and two-time majors champion, is one of the biggest stars taking part in this elevated leg of the Asian Tour. Together with other stars like Reed, Charl Schwartzel, and Louis Oosthuizen, Johnson is in town to battle the best local stars while giving joy and hope to countless young Filipino golfers who are dreaming of making it big someday.“Yeah, absolutely. I think growing the game is very important,” said Johnson, who will tee off at Hole No. 1 with Oosthuizen and Miguel Tabuena when the prestigious event gets going on Thursday. “Obviously, LIV has done a great job with that. The International Series is doing a great job with that. The Asian Tour, playing all across the world — bringing golf to parts of the world that I’ve never been to, and that a lot of these golfers have never been to.”Reed, who was sitting next to Johnson during the lively press conference that was also graced by local hero Tabuena, agrees, stressing that bringing the game closer to the fans has always been his priority whenever he competes all around the world.“It’s awesome to find new venues and new places, especially in this part of the world. It shows that the game’s evolving and growing,” said Reed, dubbed as “Captain America” for his passionate representation of the United States during Ryder Cup events.”That’s always been a goal and a dream of mine — to be a worldwide player, to grow my game and the game globally. I think it’s great for the game. The game of golf is growing a lot, and playing in places like this really helps.”It’s the first time for Johnson and Reed to play in the country.When Johnson arrived around lunchtime on Tuesday, he wasted no time as he worked on his shots at the range before attending the gala dinner at night. On the other hand, the 35-year-old Reed tried to get a good grasp of the course and the sweltering Philippine weather by playing a pair of nine holes.So far, they like how things are going — and Tabuena, who grew up swinging in the well-manicured fairways of this course, nodded his head in approval.“Yeah, for sure. That’s what’s great about the International Series. We get world-class fields, we get major winners,” said Tabuena, who is happy to host the world’s biggest stars in his home course.“That’s the only way to grow the game — not just for golf fans, but sports fans in general. They recognize successful players like Patrick and DJ, and being able to compete with them is also a learning curve for me. Of course, you want to play your best and win, but you also want to learn from these guys as well.”Johnson said he’s looking forward to a fantastic week with the Filipinos. And at the end of the day, the results will hardly matter. The important things are the memories, and the lasting impact of the four-day event on countless of club-wielding Filipino dreamers.
