ANGELO Que hopes to shake off an opening season struggle abroad with a big local feat this week as he firms up the cast in the rich The Country Club Invitational unfolding tomorrow (Wednesday, Feb. 14) at the TCC layout in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
The power-hitting Que missed the cut in Singapore, Myanmar and Malaysia in the last four weeks but the former three-time Asian Tour leg winner remains upbeat of his chances in the P5 million event he ruled three times in its 13-year staging.
He actually stood just one shot behind fellow three-time winner Juvic Pagunsan heading to the final round last year but bombed out with a closing 81 and wound up fourth.
Miguel Tabuena rallied from five down to edge Pagunsan by one with a 72, snaring the crown with a high 13-over 301 aggregate at the exacting Tom Weiskoph-designed layout that underwent a major facelift in 2015-16.
Que sees not only another four-day battle of shotmaking, iron play and putting but also of wits given the length of the course and the wind condition in the next four days.
But the Japan PGA Tour-based campaigner looks forward to a successful campaign the way he did in 2007 before dominating the elite field with back-to-back victories in 2010-11 in the event put up by ICTSI president/chairman Ricky Razon in 2003 to honor the memory of his father and ICTSI founder Don Pocholo.
Meanwhile, this year’s Philippine Golf Tour, the Ladies PGT and the second PGT Asia will be formally launched in elaborate rites after the TCC Invitational pro-am tournament today (Tuesday). More than 35 tournaments have been lined up for the three circuits to be highlighted by the staging of the Centennial Solaire Philippine Open on Feb. 28-March 3, also at the TCC. The SPO will also serve as the final leg of the inaugural eight-leg PGT Asia.
With Pagunsan also out for a payback and a record fourth title, Tabuena going for back-to-back feat and former champions Tony Lascuña (2004) and Frankie Minoza (2013) also trying to nail another victory, expect the unexpected in the 72-hole championship organized and conducted by the Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.
Also tipped to contend for the top P1.5 million purse are reigning PGT Order of Merit winner Clyde Mondilla and Jhonnel Ababa, who swept the last two PGT Asia legs at Eagle Ridge and Pradera Verde last month.
Others competing are PGT Asia leg champion Rene Menor, Zanieboy Gialon, Elmer Salvador, Jay Bayron, Michael Bibat, Jerson Balasabas, Orlan Sumcad, Keanu Jahns, Ferdie Aunzo, Jobim Carlos, James Lam, Rufino Bayron, Ira Alido, Omar Dungca, Joenard Rates, Charles Hong, Arnold Villacencio, Erwin Arcillas and Mhark Fernando along with Dutch Guido Van der Valk and Americans Nicolas Paez and Micah Shin, and Japanese Toru Nakajima.