ICTSI Splendido Classic kicks off Phl Golf Tour

MANILA, Philippines - The ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour unwraps its new season tomorrow with a bigger, richer 16-leg circuit spread over the country’s championship courses, including the challenging Splendido Taal Golf Club which will host the P1.5 million ICTSI Splendido Classic in Tagaytay.

In their continuing effort to further raise the level of pro play and keep it at par with the leading circuits in the region and beyond, the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and the sponsoring International Container Terminal Services, Inc. increased the prize money in all legs while making each tournament a 72-hole event.

It will also mark the first time that the tour, now on its sixth year, will feature a number of foreign players as regular campaigners after they hurdled the recent PGT Q-School, thus making it truly an international circuit in scope and form.

Except for one key player, all are accounted for in this week’s event with Elmer Saban hard-pressed to defend his first-ever pro crown he won over Cassius Casas in a final round duel last year with a slew of talents out to foil his title bid.

Miguel Tabuena, for one, is out to redeem himself from a final round meltdown at the Solaire Open at The Country Club last Sunday, where he blew his title bid with a shaky start and struggled to finish joint seventh with a 76.

The 19-year-old shotmaker actually regained his bearing and touch in the closing holes, birdying three of the last five to salvage a five-over card which he hopes will put him in good stead heading to Splendido. 

Meanwhile, the traditional pro-am tournament will be held today with around 20 teams, featuring the leading pros and their amateur partners from the event’s chief backers, including Nike Golf, Custom Clubmakers, Titleist, Cleveland, Pacsports, Srixon, Callaway, Sharp and FootJoy, vying for top honors.

Tony Lascuna, the reigning back-to-back ICTSI PGT winner, is also raring to atone for his so-so joint 31st finish at Solaire Open where he was one of the pre-tournament favorites but never figured in the title race.

Angelo Que, however, has opted to skip the tournament following a final round breakdown at Solaire Open, which he led in the final round until he scored a 12 on the par-5 No. 2 with three OBs (out-of-bounds). He limped with a dismal 11-over 82 and tumbled to joint 21st.

“I’ll just take a rest this week but I will surely be in Baguio,” said Que, referring to the second leg, the P2-million ICTSI Camp John Hay Championship slated March 26-29.