'Pedring' resets ICTSI opener

MANILA, Philippines - Heavy rains spawned by typhoon “Pedring” forced the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. (PGTI) to move the staging of the ICTSI Sherwood Hills Classic slated to start tomorrow to Thursday with Elmer Salvador and Tony Lascuña re-joining the circuit after a fruitless campaign on the Asian Tour.

The traditional pro-am tournament, slated today has also been reset for tomorrow, at the Sherwood Hills Golf and Country Club in Trece Martires, Cavite.

Salvador and Lascuña are out to finally nail the elusive win on the local circuit with the former, third in Order of Merit race with P812,019 earnings, turning in three runner-up finishes so far, including the recent Aboitiz Invitational presented by ICTSI in Cebu. He nearly won his first crown on the Asian Tour three weeks ago, but lost to Himmat Rai of India in a thrilling six-hole playoff in the Singapore Classic. He, however, missed the cut in the Macau Open the week after.

Lascuña, fourth in OOM derby with winnings of P764,219, finished second twice this year, including a near-miss at ICTSI Negros Occidental where he lost in a playoff to veteran campaigner Robert Pactolerin on the fourth playoff hole. He also had two third-place finishes. He wound up joint 51st in Singapore Classic and ended up 47th in Macau.

But they are again expected to figure in the race for the top P200,000 purse in the 12th leg of the 16-stage circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. along with Jhonnel Ababa, Jay Bayron, Cassius Casas and cousins Mhark Fernando and Anthony Fernando and Artemio Murakami.

Gerald Rosales, the former Philippine Open champion seeking to end a long victory drought, is also in the fold, hopeful of his chances after finishing second in last week’s final leg of the Asian Development Tour in Malaysia.

Marvin Dumandan, who won the Sherwood crown to spark a three-leg romp last year but still winless in the season, is also out to defend his title in the 54-hole event sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.

Meanwhile, the pro-am tournament will feature the leading pros teaming up with officials and guests of the event’s chief backers, including MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, BDO, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, Omnisource International, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dyn amic Sports.

?I feel good coming into this event,? said Salvador, who copped the OOM crown in the revival of the local tour in 2009, in Filipino. ?My driving, iron game and putting are okay but there are a lot of good players, so it will be tough.?

Lascuña said it will all go down to putting in the final day, adding anybody can win given the tough playing condition at Sherwood.

Others seeking to score a breakthrough on the circuit are Anthony Fernando, Antonio Asistio II, Jerson Balasabas, Jun Bernis, Rufino Bayron, Dante Becierra, Michael Bibat, Gene Bondoc, Jerome Delariarte, Charles Hong, Randy Garalde, Elmer Saban, Rey Pagunsan, Erwin Vinluan and Arnold Villacencio.