Clyde Mondilla has practically spent the last 10 weeks at home and away from the course, thrilled and proud to welcome their second child without however holding up his preparations for the resumption of the Philippine Golf Tour, the last leg of which he won in emphatic fashion at Forest Hills last June.
He also abandoned his previous plan to vie on the Asian Development Tour during the PGT break but has whipped himself back into fighting form three weeks before the ICTSI Del Monte Championship, which gets going Tuesday (Sept. 5) at Del Monte Golf Club in Manolo Fortich in Bukidnon.
“I didn’t play abroad during the break. Family time first because we just had our second child last July,” said Mondilla in Filipino. “I went back home to Bukidnon three weeks before the tournament to hone up since I didn’t play in any tournament.”
Save for one from the rest of the 59-player field, all are coming into the P2.5 million championship lacking in competitive play following the long Tour respite although each went through their own method of keeping themselves in shape and ready for another stab at PGT glory.
They include leg winners Ira Alido (Bacolod), Rupert Zaragosa (Iloilo), Tony Lascuña (Caliraya Springs), Jhonnel Ababa (Villamor) and Reymon Jaraula (Valley), along with back-to-back The Country Club Invitational champion Guido van der Valk.
Justin Quiban, a two-time winner on PGT and PGT Asia, is also in the fold coming off stints on the Asian Tour, including the International Series, and the ADT while former PGT leg titlists Michael Bibat, Zanieboy Gialon, Jay Bayron and legend and hometown favorite Frankie Miñoza spice up the chase for top honors in the 72-hole championship put up by ICTSI and backed by Kampfortis Golf, the official apparel of the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
But nobody comes into the event with as much confidence as Mondilla, who like Miñoza, knows the heavily-wooded, mountain-top layout like the back of his hand, although the multi-titled campaigner didn’t want to get ahead of the field teeming with talents.
“Siempre, andun po yung familiarity sa layout ng course since dito po ako natutong mag-golf. Pero di ko din masabi na 100 percent confident ako pagdating sa tournament kasi iba un feeling ng practice at tournament play,” said Mondilla.
“But I’ll give my best shot to play good. I’m well-prepared and my eagerness to win again is my motivation,” he added.
Also competing are Gerald Rosales, Jerson Balasabas, Dino Villanueva, Marvin Dumandan, Anthony Fernando, Albin Engino, Enrico Gallardo, Mars Pucay and Ferdie Aunzo, young guns Gabriel Manotoc, Josh Jorge, Kristoffer Arevalo, Jonas Magcalayo, Leandro Bagtas, Elee Bisera and Ivan Monsalve.