Tight showdown looms in ICTSI Forest Hills

MANILA, Philippines — All but one of the six winners of this year’s Philippine Golf Tour go flat out in quest of a second title when the ICTSI Forest Hills Classic unfolds on Tuesday at the Nicklaus course in Antipolo.

For one, Ira Alido, who came out of nowhere to stun Tony Lascuña by one and set off the chase for the Order of Merit honors in Bacolod last March, expects to figure well in the upcoming P2 million event despite a wobbly finish the last time out.

The former amateur hotshot, who secured his maiden PGT win in big fashion at Riviera in 2020, set the PGT Valley pace two weeks ago, stayed in the hunt in the middle rounds but faltered when it mattered most, closing out with a 76 and winding up joint sixth.

“I wouldn’t call it a loss of rhythm but more of a learning experience and that only makes me want to play even better,” said Alido.

Also in the hunt are Valley leg champion Reymon Jaraula, Villamor Philippine Masters titlist Jhonnel Ababa, Iloilo leg runaway winner Rupert Zaragosa and Lascuña, who reigned at Caliraya Springs.

Throw in Lloyd Go and Clyde Mondilla, who tied for second at Valley, and former leg winners Angelo Que, Zanieboy Gialon, Jay Bayron and Guido Van der Valk, also the reigning back-to-back The Country Club Invitational champion, in the wild chase for the top P360,000 prize offered by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.