Clyde Mondilla sets out for back-to-back titles at Luisita Golf and Country Club brimming with confidence after a victory in the ICTSI Luisita Invitational in Tarlac on Friday that snapped a long drought.
But the Del Monte ace expects a tougher challenge in the Philippine Golf Tour Asia’s CAT (Central Azucarera de Tarlac) Open which reels off Tuesday.
Sam Gillis, fresh from a breakthrough victory in the other regional tour, and fellow American John Michael O’Toole, along with Thai aces Tawit Polthai, Nattapong Putta, Idtiphat Silasuwan and Nirun Sae-ueng, will be among the new faces in the PGT season finale.
The organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and host LGCC will be making adjustments on the course.
“We’ll have a much longer, tougher set up,” said LGCC’s Jeric Hechanova.
Still, Mondilla remains confident of making it two in a row on the hazard-laden layout to cap his injury-riddled season.
“I feel good and I think I have a chance to come out on top again,” said Mondilla, who won four tournaments on his way to copping the PGT Order of Merit crown last year but went on a winless spell until nipping Peter Stojanovski of Macedonia over the weekend.