WW's East hosts P2.5M ICTSI leg

MANILA, Philippines - The ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour winds up its third season next week with Wack Wack hosting for the first time the second richest leg in this year’s circuit – the P2.5 million ICTSI Wack Wack Championship featuring the cream of the pro crop at WW’s fabled East Course.

Elmer Salvador, the Order of Merit champion in the tour’s inaugurals in 2009, and reigning OOM winner Jay Bayron are back to lead the title chase in the three-day tournament firing off Nov. 23, toughened up by their stints on the Asian Tour and both geared-up to bank the top P450,000 purse.

Juvic Pagunsan topped the other P2.5 million event at the ICTSI Orchard Golf Championship last May, topping an international-flavored field and highlighting his four-leg romp on the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. before his suspension last September.

Despite Pagunsan’s absence, the depth of the competing field in the upcoming tournament remains as talent-laden as ever with Artemio Murakami seeking a follow-up to his eight-shot romp over Jerson Balasabas and Richard Sinfuego at ICTSI Canlubang Invitational two weeks ago.

“I feel good, I’ve been hitting the ball well and my short game and putting are okay. I’m looking for back-to-back wins,” said Murakami

Jhonnel Ababa also resumes his bid to match Pagunsan’s four-leg victory at the close of the 16-stage circuit sponsored by International Container Terminals Services, Inc., while Tony Lascuna, Marvin Dumandan and Cassius Casas go all out to nail the elusive win.

“With the strong field, it looks like it’s going to be anyone’s tournament,” said PGTI general manager Colo Ventosa. “Coming from a big win in Canlubang, Murakami has a good chance of staying at the top and maybe even winning this leg.”

But she stressed Murakami has to contend with a lot of talented players, including Salvador, Bayron and Ababa, all leg winners this year, and the challenging course.

Meanwhile, the leading pros get the chance to test the tough layout as they see action in the traditional pro-am tournament on Nov. 22 with guests and officials from the event’s chief backers, including MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.

The par-72 layout has been spruced up to championship condition and is expected to provide a true test of golf the competing field the way it did when it hosted the Philippine Open last May with Bayron losing the crown to American Berry Henson.

That makes Bayron one of the players to watch next week along with Ababa, raring to atone for his lowly joint 34th finish at Cangolf where he was expected to dominate after winning two of the last three legs of the circuit at Riviera and Calatagan.

Others seeing action are leg winners Mhark Fernando (ICTSI Del Monte) and Robert Pactolerin (ICTSI Negros Occidental) along with Ferdie Aunzo, Jun Bernis, Antonio Asistio II, Rey Pagunsan, Gerald Rosales, Carito Villaroman, Carl Santos-Ocampo, Danny Zarate, club pro Antolin Fernando and the comebacking former jungolf star Ramon Brobio.