ICTSI Tour’s John Hay leg tees off minus stars

WITH THE leading names out, a wide-open race is expected when the second leg of the ICTSI Pilipinas Golf Tour tees off today at Camp John Hay in Baguio City.

Miguel Tabuena, the winner of the first leg in Tagaytay last month, has opted to play in an Asian Tour leg in Indonesia together with Angelo Que, Mars Pucay, Elmer Salvador and Antonio Lascuña.

The man he beat at Splendido, Ferdie Aunzo, banners the 73-strong field seeing action in the chase for the P200,000 top purse.

Robert Pactolerin, a former Philippine Open champion and multiple Tour winner, is also out of the country. He left last week to try his luck in Japan’s lucrative senior tour.

Juvic Pagunsan, the Order of Merit winner last year in both the PGT and Asian Tour, is also in Japan campaigning in the regular circuit.

Accuracy off the tees and imagination on the greens are a premium at the short Camp John Hay, a par-68 layout that has very reachable par-5s but can punish errant tee shots.

The veteran Marvin Dumandan and former PH Open winners Cassius Casas and Gerald Rosales are also entered in the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. and backed by Srixon, Callaway, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Inquirer Golf, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls and Dynamic Sports.

Michael Bibat primed up for the tournament when he powered his team of Paeng Ding, Dai Tsuchiya and Jojo Dacawi to victory in yesterday’s pro-am with a 22-under 47.

Carl Santos-Ocampo and partners Chris Tang, Louis Chan and Jimmy Dy, had a 49 for second with the team of Peter Villaber, Mayor Morris Domogan, Jason Yang and Han Yong Taek finishing third with 50.