THE Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) marks its decadelong season with a 12-stage circuit across the country starting with The Country Club Invitational (TCC) from April 23 to 26 featuring a select cast headed by six former champions at the TCC course in Santa Rosa, Laguna.
Angelo Que and Juvic Pagunsan shoot for a record fourth championship, Miguel Tabuena aims for a big rebound coming off an injury and Korean-American Micah Shin gears up for a reprise of his record feat last year when he edged Tabuena by one to become the first non-Filipino to win in what has long been considered as a major golfing championship.
But the rest of the top 30 players in the 2018 PGT Order of Merit ranking are also coming into the P5-million event upbeat but wary of their chances not only against the tour’s revered names but also over the dreaded par-72 Tom Weiskoph-designed layout.
The TCC has staged two big events the last six weeks—the inaugural TCC Ladies Invitational, which featured no less the world No. 1 Sung Hyun Park of Korea, and the Solaire Philippine Open topped by Clyde Mondilla—making it more than ready to host another top-notch championship among the best of the best.
But while Park’s victory was expected, Mondilla’s feat came as a surprise with the Del Monte ace outlasting American Nicolas Paez and winning by two despite a closing 75 and a two-over 290 total.
That should make the chase for the top P1.5-million purse doubly interesting, since no one holds a distinct advantage at the exacting layout with its unsettling hazards and roughs, and undulating surface plus the wind that come into play in most holes.
The TCC Invitational also features former winners Tony Lascuña and Frankie Miñoza, and a slew of young guns raring to join the elite circle of winners in the event put up by International Container Terminal Services Inc. boss Ricky Razon to honor the memory of his father and ICTSI founder Don Pocholo, himself an avid golfer.
Jobim Carlos, who won two tournaments and dished out a number of top 5 finishes to clinch the PGT Order of Merit title last year, hopes to shake off a hand injury that has hampered his campaign in the last two tournaments as he boosts the cast that also includes PGT leg winners Jhonnel Ababa, Korean Kim Joo Hyung, Dutch Guido Van der Valk and Jerson Balasabas.
Others in the fold are veteran Jay Bayron, Aussie Tim Stewart, Justin Quiban, Joenard Rates, Elmer Salvador, James Ryan Lam, Albin Engino, American Lexus Keoninh, Peter Stojanovski of Macedonia, Michael Bibat, Reymon Jaraula, Zanieboy Gialon, Arnold Villacencio, Nico Salahog, Rene Menor, Keanu Jahns, Mhark Fernando and Anthony Fernando.
The Delimondo National Pro-Am will be held next from May 9 to 11 at Splendido before the circuit, organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc., resumes with the Visayas swing from June 5 to 8 (Cebu), June 12 to 15 (Bacolod), June 19 to 22 (Negros Occidental) and June 26 to 29 (Iloilo).
After the Riviera Classic from August 7 to 10, the tour goes down south with a four-leg swing, starting in Pueblo de Oro from September 11 to 14, then in Del Monte from September 18 to 21, Rancho Palos Verdes from September 25 to 28 and Apo from October 2 to 5 before winding up at Luisita in Tarlac from November 6 to 9.