AS television cameras are being set up on each green of the Masters course of the Manila Southwoods, Filipino bets pass by one after the other while sampling the world-class layout ahead of the foreign field before the 108th Philippine Open tees off next week.
Carl Corpus and Justin Quiban, young local guns given big chances at ruling the $1 million (around P64 million) — the biggest purse in its long history — championship presented by the Philippine Sports Commission, played the course at the height of the heat on Monday afternoon as they try to join the illustrious names that have won Asia's oldest national open.
"I think it would be similar to last year," Corpus, who represented the Philippines for the second straight Asian Games last month, said. "They took away two scoring holes, so it won't be that much of a scoring course next week."
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Corpus was talking of Nos. 4 and 15, usual par-5s to members that will play a stroke less, making the Jack Nicklaus-designed gem a par-70 next week.
"That's potentially eight strokes (shaved off for four rounds) there," he said.
The Masters held its ground against the Asian Tour talent that invaded local shores last year, with the 11-under 269 of Frenchman Julien Sale enough to win. That was one of the lower winning totals on tour last year, and Quiban believes it will stay that way considering how the Masters has been manicured to defend itself this year.
"You go (an average of) three-under (a day) and I think you'll be good. You'll contend (for the title)," Quiban, who finished in a tie for 16th place last year with a 276, said. "It's still a tough course because of the (additional) roughs.
"Hitting approaches in these (roughs) will be difficult to judge."
Quiban, who had rounds of 73, 64, 69, and 70 last year, was referring to a second shot he was going to hit on No. 8 — one of the two par-5s that will remain, the other being the 18th — where he had just over 190 yards. He had 6-iron in hand.
"It's not going to go as far," he said. "That's what we will deal with if we miss the fairways."
Corpus - on a great lie in the fairway - hit a soft 4-iron from 220 yards to about 16 feet for eagle. He and Quiban easily birdied the eighth.
The width of the fairways will be at an average of 25 to 35 yards as the Asian Tour is trying to take away the capability of anyone to overpower the course, which will play under 7,300 yards next week.
A stellar international cast will be on hand, with eight of the top 10 players in the Order of Merit coming over as well as 10 former champions led by Berry Henson of the United States and Angelo Que and Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines.
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