THE ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour returns to Mindanao for the first time in two years with Rancho Palos Verdes and the tough Apo Golf layout hosting events on successive weeks starting tomorrow.
Michael Bibat scored his breakthrough win at Palos Verdes in 2013 when it was still a 54-hole tournament.
All eyes, however, will be on natives of Davao, Elmer Salvador in particular who will be shooting to win a second straight title.
Salvador ruled the Riviera Championship last Saturday and will come back to his hometown with his confidence at its highest after cracking par in the last three days in Cavite to win by two shots.
Palos Verdes is a relatively new, all-weather layout that could be at the mercy of the talented field, unlike Apo Golf, which remains to be one of the toughest courses to be conquered on tour.
Charles Hong returns after fulfilling a commitment that kept him out of Riviera.
Also coming back to the fold is Cassius Casas, another Davao native who honed his skills at Apo like Salvador and Antonio Lascuña.
Both events will be staking pots of P1.5 million.
The traditional pro-am will kick off today the Palos Verdes leg, the eighth of the tour this season, with the big guns playing with amateur guests.