JAY Bayron chases a record third Aboitiz Championship crown as the Philippine Golf Tour Asia goes to Wack Wack Golf and Country Club in Mandaluyong City.
A field of 108 tee off on Wednesday at the 7,222-yard East Course with thick roughs and undulating putting surface.
Fourteen players from Thailand are seeing action, along with shotmakers from 17 other nations.
“I believe I could win again at Wack Wack. My ball striking is quite good and I feel good of my chances,” said Bayron, who beat Malaysia’s Gavin Green by two when the event organized by Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. was first held at Wack Wack in 2016.
So confident is the Davaoeño shotmaker he believes he could better his winning score of six-under 282 this week in pursuit of a record third championship following his romp in the inaugural staging of the event in its home base in Cebu in 2011.
“I know I can score 8-under or better this week,” said Bayron.
Also among the players to watch are Australia’s Damien Jordan, who overpowered the field at Orchard last year, and Thais Namchok Tantipokhakul and Wisut Artjanawat, who took two of the first three legs of the third season of the Philippine Golf Tour Asia organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
Ratchapol Jantavara and Tawan Phongphun of Thailand are also seeing action, along with Sam Gillis, Lexus Keoninh, Charles Lee, Matt Lutz, Brett Munson, Joshua Salah and Sean Talmadge of the US and Australia’s Tim Stewart and David Gleeson.
Among the top local bets are Elmer Salvador, Jhonnel Ababa, Jobim Carlos, Justin Quiban and James Ryan Lam.