ANGELO Que, the former Philippine Open champion and multiple Asian Tour leg winner, joins the ICTSI Tour for the first time this year in the company of the other big guns in the Orchard Championship in Dasmariñas, Cavite, starting Wednesday.
Coming off a fifth place finish in the Indonesian Open last month, Que is tagged as one of the players to beat in the P2.5 million, 72-hole field along with fellow veteran internationalists Antonio Lascuña, Miguel Tabuena and Jay Bayron.
Lascuña will come in fresh from a come-from-behind victory in the Calatagan Championship in Batangas two weeks ago, while Bayron won the kickoff leg in Baguio after rallying from five strokes down in the final round at John Hay.
“It’s nice to play on the (local) tour again. Finally, I can join the OOM race once more and hope to make a great start and win again,” said Que, whose last appearance in a tournament on local soil was in December last year at Wack Wack East.
First place is worth P450,000 and others tipped to contend for the crown are seasoned campaigners Marvin Dumandan, Jonel Ababa, Charles Hong, Mars Pucay and Richard Sinfuego.
A huge number of the pros get the chance to sample the well-manicured layout today in the traditional pro-am along with officials and guests of sponsoring ICTSI and chief backers Nike Golf, Empire Golf and Sports Shop, Mizuno, Titleist, Srixon, Foot Joy, Callaway, Pacsports, Custom Clubmakers, Cleveland Golf and Sharp.
Elmer Salvador is also in the field along with Ferdie Aunzo and Cassius Casas. The 43-year-old Salvador has yet to flash the form that gave him an Asian Tour regular slot last year.