MANILA, Philippines - Splendido, that gem of a course at the top of Tagaytay ridge, gets the honor to host the kickoff leg of this year’s ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour, a 17-stage circuit firing off March 28-30 and featuring the country’s leading players and rising stars.
The touring pros will be in for a tough challenge at the Greg Norman-designed layout with hilly terrain and ravines with the greens difficult to read and rolling fast and well. The par-72 course’s signature hole is the par-5 No. 2 which features a 220-yard carryover ravine and a 90-degree dogleg that swings right.
The competing field will also have to tackle the “extra challenge” – the wind which makes the course play longer than its 6,997 yardage from the golf tees, ensuring a wide open battle for the top P200,000 purse in the P1 million event spread over three days.
Last year’s top player Jhonnel Ababa, who won three legs in the third season of the annual circuit sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc., heads the field somewhat decimated by the absence of some top guns who are set to compete on the Asian Tour leg in India, including former ICTSI-PGT Order of Merit winner Jay Bayron, Mars Pucay, Artemio Murakami and Miguel Tabuena.
Juvic Pagunsan, the reigning OOM champion, has also begged off from the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. as he is busy preparing for his campaign on the lucrative Japan PGA Tour set to fire off next month where he gained a full card after topping last year’s Asian Tour OOM rankings.
Splendido is one of the five new venues of this year’s circuit with Camp John Hay Golf Club hosting the second leg on April 18-20. Manila Southwoods will stage the seventh leg on June 27-30, while Eagle Ridge and Rancho Palos Verdes will take their turn as hosts on May 23-25 and Aug. 15-17, respectively.
Meanwhile, the traditional pro-am tournament will held Tuesday featuring the leading pros and guests and officials of the event’s chief backers.
Jovannie Abaño, who topped the recent PGT Qualifying School, and former national champion Clyde Mondilla will also mark their pro debut in the tournament that also includes Ferdie Aunzo, Jerson Balasabas, Rufino Bayron, Jun Bernis and Cassius Casas.
Also in the fold are last year’s ICTSI-Del Monte leg winner Mhark Fernando, Negros Occidental leg champion Robert Pactolerin, former Phl Open titlist Gerald Rosales, Richard Sinfuego, Michael Bibat, Jerome Delariarte, Anthony Fernando and Marvin Dumandan.