Local charge in Philippines Open stays strong

MANILA, Philippines — After getting Asia’s oldest national championship rebooted this year, the organizing National Golf Association of the Philippines is leaving no stone unturned trying to lure the country’s best players and keep the Smart Infinity Philippine Open title on home soil.

Invites were sent out to rising US PGA Tour star Rico Hoey, Japan Tour mainstays Juvic Pagunsan and Justin delos Santos, lady amateur Rianne Malixi and two-time US Women’s Open champion Yuka Saso.

Malixi has graciously accepted to take on the challenge playing with the men while Hoey, who plays under the Philippine flag in the US, Pagunsan and Saso have declined. Delos Santos is set to plane in on Jan. 18 to give himself the best possible shot at winning the $500,000 (about P29 million) event.

But with Miguel Tabuena, the highest-ranked Filipino in the field at 267th in the world, and Delos Santos, toughened by years of battle in Japan, and multi-leg Asian Tour winner and former champion Angelo Que present, the Philippines has a very good shot at ruling the 72-hole championship.