Men’s tourney returns to golf calendar

After being shelved for a year and some of the country’s leading pros taking to teaching to continue earning a living, the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour makes a grand return with a stop at majestic Luisita in Tarlac starting March 22, kicking off a five-leg season.

“It (circuit) now shifts our focus to playing again, and we are very grateful,” Antonio Lascuña, the former Order of Merit winner, told the Inquirer in Filipino recently as he girds up for action against a host of others who also spent most of the past year in driving ranges teaching players of various skills how to play the game.

“There’s kind of a new dynamic now for a lot of us, but we will be fine,” Lascuña said.

Jonel Ababa, who calls the Calatagan Golf Club home, said he has stayed in shape somewhat during the lull with a chance to play almost everyday.

Unlike Lascuña, though, Ababa, a nine-leg winner on the local circuit, used his spare time to raise hogs to provide for his family as Calatagan doesn’t have that many players.

“I think I’ll be OK,” Ababa said in a separate interview. “I’m excited to play at a high level again.”

The 72-hole championship will run alongside the ladies event, which will have 10 legs slated for the year.

After Tarlac, the tour goes to Hallow Ridge in San Pedro, Laguna, from April 6 and then to Splendido in Tagaytay from April 19.

Stops in Lipa at Malarayat and Summit Golf round out the revival in May.