Gialon targets 2nd title in row in ICTSI Summit

MANILA, Philippines - A confident Zanie Boy Gialon hopes to brandish the form he flaunted in snapping a two-year title spell at Royal Northwoods last month as he goes for a second straight victory in the ICTSI Summit Point Golf Classic unfolding Wednesday at Summit Point Golf Club in Lipa, Batangas

“My confidence is sky-high and I’m excited to play again. Who knows, my luck could extend to Summit and in the last two legs of this year’s circuit,” said Gialon, who racked up three victories in his rookie season in 2012 but went on a slump the next two years before finally winning again.

He has considered himself lucky to win the ICTSI Royal Northwoods Championship where he led in the first two days and then held sway in the final round to beat Charles Hong in the storm-hit P1.5 million event that was reduced to 54 holes.

It also helped that some of the tour’s big guns were absent then but the young shotmaker will be facing tremendous odds when he shoots for a follow-up to his recent win at Summit.

For one, Tony Lascuña, winner of four legs in this year’s circuit sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc., is back in the hunt, along with fellow Asian Tour campaigners and ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour leg winners Elmer Salvador, Jay Bayron and Cassius Casas, making the title chase in the 72-hole tournament double interesting.

“That makes it more challenging but I hope to play better at Summit,” said Gialon.

Lascuña tries to lock up his third straight Order of Merit title with another win at Summit although Salvador, Bayron and Casas will also be going all out to score a follow-up to their victories at ICTSI Riviera, ICTSI Splendido Classic and ICTSI Iloilo Challenge, respectively.

Meanwhile, Lascuña, Salvador, Casas, Bayron and Gialon will join the other leading pros in Tuesday’s traditional pro-am tournament where they will be paired with their amateur partners and guests from the event’s chief backers, including Nike Golf, Pacsports Phils. Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Mizuno, Empire Golf, Footjoy, Titleist, Custom Clubmakers, Sharp and KZG.

With four victories, including three straight at ICTSI Negros, Aboitiz Invitational and ICTSI Pilipinas Invitational, Lascuña has pulled away in the OOM race with winnings of P3,149,065 after 13 legs of the 16-stage tour organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Salvador is in far second with P1,666,925 earnings followed by Miguel Tabuena (P1,585,168), Hong (P1,304,850), Casas (P978,394), Bayron (P918,895), Angelo Que (P884,366), Jhonnel Ababa (P786,360) and Marvin Dumandan (P775,578).