Seven legs into this year’s Philippine Golf Tour, no player has been able to score a “double,” making the ICTSI Del Monte Championship doubly interesting when it is fired off Tuesday at the Del Monte Golf Club in Bukidnon.
Ira Alido, who won the kickoff leg in Bacolod in come-from-behind fashion, nearly did the trick when he led in the third round of the Luisita Championship, the fourth leg. But bumped into a more solid Miguel Tabuena in the final round and lost by two.
But the former national team hotshot, who scored a breakthrough victory at Riviera via an imposing 9-shot romp over Tony Lascuña in bubble setup in 2020, expects to contend again this week, the P2.5 million event also serving as part of his buildup for another tour of duty with Clyde Mondilla later this month.
But so do Rupert Zaragosa, who recorded his maiden win in Iloilo, incidentally also by 9 shots over Lascuña, Villamor leg titlist Jhonnel Ababa, Valley stage winner Reymon Jaraula, Caliraya Springs leg runway winner Lascuña, and Mondilla, who ripped the elite field in the last PGT jaunt at Forest Hills before the circuit took a two-month break.
Mondilla’s empathic five-stroke triumph over Angelo Que and Dino Villanueva and his local knowledge of Del Monte have installed the multi-titled campaigner the prohibitive favorite 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 no one holds a distinct advantage over the other at the tight, demanding course. In fact, Ababa humbled Mondilla and a slew of homegrown bets, including Jaraula, to emerge on top when the circuit made its last stop in Bukidnon in 2019.
That should guarantee a wild, furious start and finish with a host of others going all-out to foil the six aces’ drive for a second championship while fueling their own title bids, including reigning back-to-back The Country Club Invitational winner Guido van der Valk, and former leg winners Zanieboy Gialon, Michael Bibat and Jay Bayron and the very player so extremely familiar with Del Monte – Frankie Miñoza.
Also ready for a four-day test of iron play and strategy are young guns Gab Manotoc. Josh Jorge, Jonas Magcalayo, Ivan Monsalve, along with seasoned campaigners Ferdie Aunzo, Elmer Salvador, Mars Pucay, Jerson Balasabas and Marvin Dumandan.
Justin Quiban, who is currently competing in the Asian Development Tour in Vietnam, has also confirmed his participation, while former national champion Mhark Fernando marks his Tour return following a long absence due to injury.
From Cagayan de Oro, the Tour heads to Davao City for the ICTSI South Pacific Classic on Sept. 12-15 at the South Pacific Golf Club with practically the same field vying in the P2 million championship.