Ababa tries to keep streak going

Jhonnel Ababa, winner of three Philippine Golf Tour Asia events, shoots for another crown in the ICTSI Pradera Verde Classic firing off Jan. 16 in Pampanga.

The diminutive defending champion heads to the $100,000-championship against a crack international cast on the flat, open par-72 layout.

“I think I’m lucky playing on PGT Asia,” said Ababa, who also ruled the ICTSI Forest Hills and Eagle Ridge legs.

Others tipped to contend for the top $17,500-purse are United States’ Sydney Chung, Dylan Jackson and Lexus Keoninh, Englishmen Benjamin David, Joe Knox and George Twyman, Japan’s Keisuke Takahashi of Japan, Korean Hwang Myung-chal, Spain’s Salvador Paya Vila and Dutchman Guido Van der Valk.

Filipinos ruled the last two PGTA events—James Ryan Lam won the CAT Open at Luisita last October and Joenard Rates the Summit Point World 18 Challenge last November.