DAVAO’S homegrown talents—multititled Tony Lascuña, Jay Bayron and Jhonnel Ababa—gear up for a showdown on a course where they hone their talent and skills when the P3-million International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Apo Golf Invitational is fired off tomorrow at the Apo Golf and Country Club.
“It’s nice to be back and play again at Apo. With all the young, talented players in the fold, it will be tough, but for sure, it will be fun,” said Lascuña, who ruled the last ICTSI Apo Golf Invitational in 2015, edging by Miguel Tabuena by one stroke.
The sponsoring ICTSI and organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. have lined up a seven-leg joust in the Visayas and Mindanao in the next three months that will also put in focus the top, championship courses in the regions. The provincial swing will also give the pros, majority of which hail from south, the chance to be with their respective families.
Meanwhile, Lascuña, Bayron and Ababa lead the other select pros in today’s pro-am tournament where they will be paired with amateur guests and officials.
But this week’s battle for the top P550,000 purse could be narrowed down to a slew of Davaoeños, who are expected to cash in on their local knowledge of the hazard-laden course, which hosted the Philippine Open in 1995 and which also gives stunning views of Mount Apo.
But Lascuña has downplayed the homegrown talents’ edge in familiarity.
“The level of games now has improved, thus virtually eliminating the course familiarity factor,” said Lascuña, who nevertheless hopes to end a winless campaign this year at home.
Bayron, meanwhile, will be coming into the event brimming with confidence following his victory in the Philippine Golf Tour Asia Manila Southwoods leg two weeks ago. Ababa, winner of two PGTA tournaments in January, is also confident of his chances along with fellow Davaoeños Elmer Salvador, Mhark Fernando, Rufino Bayron, Marvin Dumandan, Ramil Bisera, Peter Villaber and Elmer Saban.
But a slew of foreign aces will be out to spoil their bid, including Dutch Guido Van der Valk, Americans Lexus Keoninh and Nicolas Paez, Peter Stojanovski of Macedonia, Lee Song and Park Jun-sung of South Korea and Eiichiro Hiyama and Taisei Mochida of Japan.