Foreign aces seek end to Aboitiz Invitational spell

MANILA, Philippines — A slew of Thai and American aces banner the 42-player strong foreign contingent out to end the Filipinos’ domination of the rich Aboitiz Invitational, which unwraps Wednesday at the Orchard Golf and Country Club’s Palmer Course in Dasmariñas, Cavite.

Jay Bayron and Elmer Salvador have won two apiece while Tony Lascuña, Juvic Pagunsan and Miguel Tabuena have nailed one title each as the locals shared the honors in the first seven editions of one of the premier championships on the Philippine Golf Tour Asia calendar sponsored by Aboitiz Equity Ventures.

But the likes of Wisut Artjanawat, Pasavee Lertvilai, Tommy Mansuwan, Chirat Jirasuwan, Sutijet Kooratanapisan and Thammanoon Sriroj of Thailand along with PGT campaigners Lexus Keoninh, Brett Munson, Cory Oride and John Michael O’Toole of the US are all geared up to foil the locals’ bid to extend their reign in the $100,000 event put up by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.

David Gleeson, who ruled the PGT Asia second season’s kickoff leg at Luisita last April, is also back in the hunt along with fellow Aussies Calum Juniper, Nathan Miller, Nathan Park and Simon Treby while England’s George Twyman, Joe Knox and David Benjamin are also aiming to sneak into title contention in the blue-ribbon event that has since become one of the keenly awaited tournaments in the circuit for its prize money and participation.

But with the locals coming into the 72-hole championship in top form following a series of tournaments on the PGT in the Visayas and Mindanao the last three months, the foreign bets will have to dish out their best to crowd the Filipinos for the top $17,500 purse.

Jhonnel Ababa, for one, will head to the event brimming with confidence after posting a two-stroke victory over young Korean Kim Joo Hyung in the rain-shortened ICTSI Club Filipino de Cebu Invitational last week. The former amateur hotshot also won the last PGT Asia leg at Forest Hills last July and opened the year with back-to-back PGT Asia victories at Eagle Ridge and Pradera Verde that were part of the inaugural PGTA calendar.