Mondilla better prepared for Caliraya stop

Clyde Mondilla, the long-hitter who is enjoying the early stages of fatherhood and made golf take a back seat, will be coming into the ICTSI Caliraya Springs Championship this week better prepared and ready to be a champion again.

“Luisita was sort of a break-in again for me,” Mondilla told the Inquirer in Filipino over the phone on Sunday afternoon, a few minutes after arriving in Cavinti, Laguna, to see the layout for the first time. “I wasn’t able to practice then but luckily shot a [seven-under-par] 65 in the final round to contend.

“But this time I spent the last three weeks since that to practice and I feel good,” Mondilla, playing out of Del Monte in Bukidnon, went on. “I hope to be able to play well this week.”

Mondilla leads a lean 60-man field vying in the 72-hole, P2-million championship where he looms as the player to beat with Luisita champ Miguel Tabuena absent. He confessed to not being able to train as hard as he wants with the recent birth of his first child.

The 54-hole ladies championship will also tee off on Tuesday with Chanelle Avaricio, who won two weeks ago at Hallow Ridge, shooting for a second straight title. INQ