Jhonnel Ababa hopes to recall his winning form at Eagle Ridge when the Philippine Golf Tour begins another season with the ICTSI Eagle Ridge Challenge blasting off Wednesday at the Faldo layout in Gen. Trias, Cavite.
Ababa snapped a long title spell with a seven-stroke victory over Elmer Salvador at the Aoki layout in the PGT Asia leg last year.
His confidence boosted, Ababa also won at Pradera Verde in another PGTA leg, making him one of the favorites in the P2.5-million event that also lured foreign bets.
Reigning PGT Order of Merit king Clyde Mondilla and four-time OOM winner Tony Lascuña are both hoping to recover their swing and putting touch.
Mondilla is reeling from back-to-back mediocre finishes at The Country Club Invitational and the 100th Solaire Philippine Open and is determined to check his skid.
According to Ababa, the Faldo layout is tougher than Aoki, demanding accurate shots from the mound and on the fairways.