ICTSI Philippine Open lures crack foreign field

MANILA, Philippines—A top-flight foreign field littered with tested champions will be coming over to battle the country’s finest when the $300,000 ICTSI Philippine Open tees off on Feb. 9 at Wack Wack’s formidable East course.

Lu Wei-chih of Taiwan and Japan’s Tetsuji Hiratsuka head the foreign bidders who will try to duplicate what American Berry Henson pulled off last year: Keep Asia’s oldest national championship out of a Filipino’s hands.

Angelo Que was the last Filipino to rule the Open, winning in 2008. The year before that, Frankie Miñoza won for the second time.

The event became all-Filipino for two years from 2009 after failing to get Asian Tour sanction. It returned to the Tour last year.

Hiratsuka has won four times on the Tour while Lu has been very successful in Taiwan after winning the Mercuries Taiwan Masters and the Yeangder Tournament Players title two times.

Aside from Que and Miñoza, the Filipino challenge will also come from veterans Mars Pucay, Antonio Lascuña, Artemio Murakamai and teener Miguel Tabuena.

Juvic Pagunsan, the Asian Tour No. 1 who won the rich The Country Club Invitational last week, is skipping the event in favor of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

National Golf Association of the Philippines secretary general Jun Arceo said the Open will be beamed live to over 200 countries.