LUISITA - A 46-strong local contingent will tee it up on Wednesday in the $100,000 (around P6 million) Bingo Plus Philippine ADT Open at age-old Luisita, with the most established ace in the bunch looking for a career first at the Robert Trent Jones-created gem.
"Yes, I haven't. That's why I am motivated," Angelo Que said, referring to a win at the majestic lay ut that has hosted several big international and local events, counting a number of Philippine Opens. "It's never too late to win one (here), although the course is playing much tougher from what I am used to."
READ Que holds steady in wild finish to win at Caliraya Springs
The 47-year-old Que played in the traditional Pro-Am on Tuesday and said that the layout "has gotten longer" after rains softened the fairways the past few days. "The greens are also slow (during the event) and that could be a problem if they decide to speed them up for the tournament."
This will be the second big pro event hosted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines (NGAP) this year after the President's Cup at Wack Wack in January. A third would be the Asian Tour's International Series Philippine Open at Manila Southwoods later this year.
Que, who won the last Philippine Golf Tour stop at Caliraya in come-from-behind style last month, said that with a full field that also counts 82 international bets, the battle for the title is wide-open, as he listed Sean Ramos, a past ADT leg winner, and the big-hitting Keanu Jahns as two more Filipinos to watch.
Clyde Mondilla, another former PH Open champion like Que, is also entered together with Fidel Concepcion, who broke through as a pro last year at Apo Golf in Davao, a layout which has some striking similarities with Luisita.
A lean but talented amateur field will be taking part. Shinichi Suzuki, the many-time PH team member playing out of Manila Southwoods, leads a six-man list that counts Rolando Bregente and Chris Remata.
This will be the sixth of 13 stops of the season for the ADT, which will also play courses in Thailand, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.
The highest-ranked Filipino in the ADT's Order of Merit race this season at No. 10 coming into Luisita, Ramos will be coming off a three-man playoff loss in the ADT Players Championship in Malaysia last month and is obviously itching to make up for that while playing on home soil.
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