INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines - Frankie Minoza will be the foremost star in the field?and the man to beat?when the ICTSI Pueblo de Oro Championship opens Wednesday at the rolling layout in Cagayan de Oro.

With Juvic Pagunsan opting not seek a second straight win, the Japanese Tour-veteran Miñoza looms large in the P1 million tournament that dangles the lion?s purse of P200,000 for the champion.

Pagunsan, who ran away with the Apo Golf leg of the revived Philippine Golf Tour last week, is scheduled to play in Malaysia.

Artemio Murakami, second to Pagunsan in Davao; Marvin Dumandan, Jerome Delariarte, Asian Tour regular Antonio Lascuña and Mars Pucay are tipped to crowd Miñoza for the title.

Miñoza rarely plays in the country and his last big stint here came in The Country Club Invitational early this year. He also vied in last year?s Philippine Open won by Angelo Que.

The 54-hole tournament, fourth leg of a 10-stage circuit put up by ICTSI (International Container Terminal Services, Inc.), is also backed by MJ Carr Golf Management.

Order of Merit leader Dumandan, who won at Eagle Ridge and finished second at Mt. Malarayat, is also expected to contend for the crown again after finishing fifth at Apo.

?Hopefully, I could contend again for the title at Pueblo,? said Dumandan.
A pro-am event featuring some of the leading pros and ICTSI guests and sponsors of the event was held Tuesday.