ADT winners boost Tarlac Open field

A SPRINKLING of crack foreign talent spices up the P2.5-million Central Azucarera de Tarlac Open beginning Wednesday, with three winners on the Asian Development Tour joining the Philippine Golf Tour’s penultimate leg at the Robert Trent Jones-designed gem north of Manila.

Americans John Michael O’Toole, Nick Sherwood and Josh Salah, who all ruled tough ADT legs earlier in the season, a fourth American in Paul Harris and Peter Stojanovski have been invited by the organizers to make the tournament field much tougher.

Olympian Miguel Tabuena will not be around to defend the championship he won over Jonel Ababa in runaway style last year, leaving Philippine chances mainly in the hands of the in-form Clyde Mondilla, Antonio Lascuña and Jay Bayron.

The trio has dominated the past few tournaments of the ICTSI-backed circuit, with Mondilla winning just two weeks ago at Mount Malarayat before Elmer Salvador, the former PH Open champion, came from behind to rule the Splendido leg in Tagaytay.

O’Toole is familiar with playing conditions in the country, having taken part in a couple of PH Opens in the past and ADT events here.