CARMONA, Cavite—The Aboitiz Invitational 2017 reels off today (Tuesday, Aug. 15) with the elite international field bracing for a shootout at Manila Southwoods’ Legends course here – not only for top honors but also for bragging rights as the first winner of the inaugural PGT Asia Tour.
The 72-hole championship serves as the kickoff leg of Asia’s newest pro golf league – an eight-stage circuit offering $100,000 for the first seven tournaments and $300,000 for the final leg. The organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and sponsoring International Container Terminal Services, Inc. have actually lined up a three-year program for the PGA Asia Tour with a total of $1.7 million to be staked in 2018 and $2 million in 2019 with plans to further increase the purse in the future.
More events for each of the next two years are also being finalized and talks to hold future legs in other parts of Asia, particularly Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia, are also ongoing.
That should make this week’s title chase doubly interesting with the best and the brightest of Philippine golf slugging it out against a crack international field from at least 17 countries for the top $17,500 purse.
Reigning Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit leader Tony Lascuña, No. 2 Clyde Mondilla, 2015 OOM champion Miguel Tabuena, Japan PGA Tour campaigner Angelo Que and defending champion Jay Bayron set out against PGT Asia Q-School topnotcher Thai Pasavee Lertvilai, No. 2 Seungjae Maeng and John Michael O’Toole of the US, Korean-American Micah Shin and Indonesians Joshua Wirawan and Elki Kow.
Given the ideal condition at the bunker-laden layout, low scoring is seen right in the first round of the championship sponsored by Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc.
The last time it hosted the Aboitiz Invitational in 2015, Juvic Pagunsan ripped it off with a 20-under 264 total and beat Thai Nirun Sae-Ueng by eight.
“Historically, scores are low at Legends and we expect the same again this week,” said Southwoods golf director and former pro Jerome Delariarte. “The course condition is good, so summer rules for now. We hope for the rain to stay away this week.”
But while majority, if not all, are coming into the event in top shape, Que has opted to downplay his form and chances, saying: “I wouldn’t know since I had a two-week break and haven’t touched my clubs.”
The former three-time Asian Tour winner, including the Philippine Open, also came off a long break then posted a record 12-stroke victory at the ICTSI Classic at Mt. Malarayat last month.
“It’s tough to assess one’s chances given the depth of the competing field. I just hope my putting will click in all four days and try to put myself in contention in the final round,” said Lascuña, winner of two events in this year’s PGT circuit.
Other foreign players tipped to contend in the event, backed by Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Champion, Summit Mineral Water, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT and M.Y. Shokai Technology, Inc., are Swedes Andreas Gronkvist and Fredrik From, Aussies David Gleeson and Simon Vitakangas, Englishman Grant Jackson, Canadian Lee Sang Gyun, Cory Oride of the US, Korean You Joo Hwan and Singapore’s Choo Tze Huang.
The other local aces expected to figure in the title hunt are Jhonnel Ababa, Zanieboy Gialon, Elmer Salvador, James Ryan Lam, Ferdie Aunzo, Mhark Fernando, Rufino Bayron and Jerson Balasabas.
The field is composed of the top 34 players on the PGT OOM, the 61 qualifiers from the Q-School and 25 sponsors’ invitees, including amateurs Ryan and Ivan Monsalve.
Luisita will host the second stop on Sept. 6-9 for the Central Azucarera de Tarlac Open while the third leg will be held Sept. 13-16 for the ICTSI Riviera Championship at the Riviera in Silang, Cavite.
Action swings to the fabled Wack Wack in Mandaluyong City for the ICTSI Wack Wack Challenge on Nov. 15-18, then Splendido Taal in Laurel, Batangas on Nov. 29-Dec. 2. Still to be determined are the venues for the seventh leg set Dec. 6-9 and the eighth leg scheduled early next year.