Mondilla fancied in Pueblo de Oro

Reigning Philippine Open champion Clyde Mondilla hopes to put up a strong showing coming off a long rest, targeting no less than a top finish in the ICTSI Pueblo de Oro Championship unfolding Wednesday in Cagayan de Oro City.

The 2017 PGT Order of Merit winner marked his 2019 start with that surprise victory in the country’s Open championship at The Country Club last April but withdrew from other events to take a much needed break. He returned from a two-month layoff and tied for 12th in Bacolod and after missing a couple more tournaments, turned in a third-place effort at Riviera last month but skipped the Aboitiz Invitational of the PGT Asia last week.

But with the PGT resuming with four tournaments in Mindanao, the Del Monte ace finds it fitting to sort of re-launch his campaign at his turf with this week’s P2.5 million event also serving as part of his buildup for the Del Monte Championship on Sept. 18-21 where he hopes to dominate on a course he calls home.

“I just took a long rest, no injuries whatsoever, so I hope to play good this week,” said Mondilla.

Davao will host the next stop on Oct. 2-5 for the Apo Golf Invitational before the Mindanao swing winds up at the South Pacific Golf and Leisure Estates, also in Davao.