BAGUIO CITY, Philippines —  A new age has practically dawned with the Fil-Am Invitational Golf Tournament after marking its 75th year.

This after hosts John Hay Golf and Baguio Country Club renewed their partnership to stage another year of the biggest and oldest amateur golf tournament this side of the globe, on July 10, where they will also introduce a new format.

BCC General Manager and John Hay Golf operator Golfplus Management, Inc. president Eduardo Arguelles said that the new format will be four to play, three to count to make it “more competitive and (gives players) more room to enjoy.”

The format of play was five to play four to count until the 74th year. Last year it was four to play, four to count.

The two executives said that this will make the play faster and the plays to be completed before darkness falls. This will make it easier also for the organizers, especially that the format adopted last year saw delays in completion of games.

Arguelles, meanwhile, said that players, especially will not be pressured if they score low.

The Fil-Am is slated to kick off on November 24 until December 2 for the seniors division and the Flight F of the regular division. Regular division flights are scheduled on December 3 until December 12.

Meanwhile, Bases Conversion Development Authority vice president Mark Torres that the planned bid for the CJH course management will not affect the staging of the annual tournament.

The Fil-Am executive committee will be signing the contract with Januarius will be on July 24 at the CJH Clubhouse. PML