Big guns answer call from TCC

STA. ROSA, Laguna, Philippines — Three former champions, including a record-holder and the title-holder, join a stellar lineup in The Country Club Invitational kicking off today at the iconic TCC course here.

Boasting a prize pot of P6 million, this exclusive event brings together the Top 30 players from the 2024 Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit and former winners, promising thrilling rivalries that have defined the TCC Invitational since its inception in 2003 by ICTSI chairman and CEO Ricky Razon in honor of his father, Don Pocholo Razon, a passionate golfer himself.

Headlining the elite roster is Tony Lascuña, who outlasted Miguel Tabuena in a gripping stretch duel to claim the championship last year. A five-time Order of Merit winner, Lascuña returns to the course determined yet wary of its formidable challenges.

“The TCC course is so unpredictable,” said Lascuña, who first won the TCC title in 2004 and waited two decades to recapture it.

Joining Lascuña are two other marquee names chasing their own milestones. Guido van der Valk, the Manila-based Dutchman and two-time TCC champion (2020 and 2023), is out to redeem himself after a rollercoaster 2024 season that started strong but ended without a victory.

Lascuña squares off against Reymon Jaraula and Clyde Mondilla at 8:40 a.m., following the group of Angelo Que, Keanu Jahns and Sean Ramos. Meanwhile, Van der Valk tees off at 8:20 a.m., competing alongside Rupert Zaragosa and Jhonnel Ababa.