Salvador heads cast as ICTSI tilt unfolds

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Golf Tour resumes today with the staging of the P1 million ICTSI Classic featuring a stellar cast that includes reigning Philippine Open champion Elmer Salvador, defending titlist Danny Zarate and Asian Tour regulars Juvic Pagunsan, Artemio Murakami and Tony Lascuna.

Frankie Miñoza also confirmed his participation in the 54-hole event at Mt. Malarayat Golf and Country Club in Lipa City, Batangas along with young turks Ferdie Aunzo, Jay Bayron and Marvin Dumandan, ensuring a spirited battle for top honors in the tournament serving as the second leg of the 12-stage circuit organized by the PGT Inc.

Salvador, who romped away with two leg victories and went on to capture the Order of Merit title in last year’s revival of the pro tour, hopes to brandish the form that also won him the RP Open crown at Malarayat last December where he bested the likes of Miñoza, Pagunsan and former champion Angelo Que and Dutch Guido Van der Valk with a stirring 17-under 271 total.

But the rest of the starting 76-player field will be out to foil his bid with Zarate raring to defend the title he won over Dumandan last year, Pagunsan out to redeem himself from a missed-cut stint in the RP Open, and Murakami and Lascuna hoping to build momentum for their Asian Tour campaign.

Miñoza, for sure, will try to recall the form that made him the country’s top player and one of Asia’s premier shotmakers for years as he sets out against a bunch of younger rivals in the event put up by ICTSI and backed by the MJ Carr Golf Management, Jaguar, Land Rover, Studio 23, Balls TV and Golf Punk.

Que, who topped the recent The Country Club Invitational, the kickoff leg of this year’s circuit, will skip this week’s event after he competed in the just-concluded Avantha Masters in New Delhi, India where he wound up joint 30th.

Still, the field remains as talent-laden as ever with Aunzo, Bayron, Dumandan, Michael Bibat, Jun Bernis, Gene Bondoc, Ramil Bisera, Jerome Delariarte, Christopher delos Santos, Anthony Fernando, Cookie La’O, Benjie Magada, Rey Pagunsan, Joenard Rates, Ruben Sasutil, Richard Sinfuego, Carito Villaroman, Erwin Vinluan, Cassius Casas and Robert Pactolerin also in the fold.

The country’s top amateurs will also see action in the event, including ICTSI-Canlubang bets Jhonnel Ababa, Mhark Fernando and Jerson Balasabas, who will be going up against ICTSI-TCC mainstays Antonio Asistio, Dante Becierra, Rufino Bayron, Peter Villaber for top honors in their side of the event which also serves as a tune-up for their PAL Interclub matchup in Bacolod next week.

From Malarayat, the tour will head to Cavite for the third leg – the ICTSI Sherwood Hills Classic – set March 17-19 at the Sherwood Hills Golf and Country Club in Trece Martires.