CARMONA, CAVITE—A wide-open yet explosive $100,000 ICTSI Manila Southwoods Championship gets off the ground Tuesday as a banner 112-strong field littered with international talent and loaded with the best that the Philippines has tees off at the complex’ Legends layout here.
The country’s fancied quartet of Juvic Pagunsan, Angelo Que, Jobim Carlos and Olympian Miguel Tabuena are all seeing action as they lead a local contingent that will try to keep the title.
The course is expected to play longer in the next four days owing to heavy downpour the past few nights, which can also make the sleek greens more unpredictable.
“The course looks tough, especially with the erratic weather conditions,” said defending champion Jay Bayron, who won with a 26-under total last year.
This year, though, hole No. 6, a regular par-5 for members, has been made to play as a par-4 because of repairs being done to the tee mounds. It will play at least 425 yards and will make the layout a par-71.
“It’s difficult to feel so confident. The field is strong, anybody can go low at any given day,” said 2017 PGT Order of Merit winner Clyde Mondilla, the reigning Philippine Open champion who is on a comeback from a recent injury.
“I’ll just play my game,” added the Del Monte ace, who also hopes to recall the form that netted him a one-stroke victory over Tabuena and Tony Lascuña here in 2017.
“It’s going to be interesting. Despite the condition of the course, especially the thick roughs, I think a 20-under score will win here,” said American Lexus Keoninh, a three-year local campaigner due for a big finish.
Pagunsan skipped the Pro-Am on Monday and still will come into the tournament as the hottest player on tour with three straight wins last month.
Micah Shin is also tipped to contend in all four days with the reed-thin Korean-American, the first non-Filipino to win The Country Club Invitational last year, going for a sweep of sorts of major events at Southwoods after winning the Resorts World Masters at the nearby Masters course in 2017.