ANGELO Que sets out for a record win, Frankie Miñoza seeks a repeat, Tony Lascuña tries to snap a long spell and Elmer Salvador and Miguel Tabuena shoot for a first-ever crown.
With the rest of the limited 30-player field all geared up for the big event, a shootout is expected right in the opener of the P5 million The Country Club Invitational beginning Thursday at the TCC layout in Laguna.
“Given the condition here, it’s anybody’s race here,” said Lascuna, winner of the event in 2004 and the top money earner on the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour the last two seasons.
“But I feel good and my game is quite okay although the long hitters will definitely have the edge here,” added Lascuña, referring to three-time champion Que and last year’s winner Miñoza.
“I like my chances again this year although one needs a little bit of luck to win here,” said Miñoza, who nipped brothers Jay and Rufino Bayron in a playoff one after the other last year.
But the veteran campaigner, the most decorated player in the fold, is wary of his chances given the depth of the competing field in the event held in honor of ICTSI founder Enrique “Don Pocholo” Razon, Sr.
Meanwhile, ICTSI head of Public Relations Narlene Soriano and Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. general manager Colo Ventosa launched on Wednesday the 17-leg ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour.
The 2014 season tees off with the Solaire Open set March 13 to 16 and will end with the Solaire Tournament Players Championship set Nov. 12 to 15 at Wack Wack.
What makes this year’s tour different from the previous five is that all tournaments will now be 72-hole events, including four that will offer prize pots of P3.5 million each.
Also set is the eight-leg ICTSI Ladies Philippine Golf Tour set to fire off April 16 at The Orchard. A three-day qualifier is slated next week at Eagle Ridge’s Aoki course in Cavite.
The limited-field TCC Invitational, featuring the top 30 players in last year’s Order of Merit, offers a top prize of P1.5 million.