Already daunting with its length, the wind and the heat will make The Country Club one real test when the $500,000 Solaire Philippine Open tees off on Wednesday in Laguna.
Playing more than 7,700 yards and with its greens among the fastest in the country, the TCC will determine anyone’s title dreams in Asia’s oldest national championship where local bet Juvic Pagunsan is one of the favorites.
A total of 132 players will see action, with Pagunsan shooting for the only local title missing in his collection even as Angelo Que will try to join an elite list of two-time champions.
They finished 1-2 in the tune-up tournament at Riviera last Saturday.
Korean-American Micah Shin, who humbled the local aces to become the first non-Filipino to win the TCC Invitational last year, is also in the fold.
This year’s edition will not have a defending champion after Miguel Tabuena was forced to withdraw last week because of an injured back.
Que won his first title at Wack Wack in 2008, while Pagunsan was runner-up as an amateur at Riviera in 2006.