Cebu City, Philippines—Accuracy and putting will be the focus of golfers competing in the rich ICTSI CFdC Invitational as they try to conquer the short but tricky Club Filipino De Cebu course in Danao City on Wednesday, June 5, 2019.
Short by the pros’ standards, the par-71, 6692-yard course is still expected to challenge the competitors’ skills and talent, especially in iron play and course management with its unpredictable surface also slated to add up to the challenges that can be found around the layout carved from steep hills.
It also features dog-leg holes that could lure the long hitters to take the risk and use their drivers in a bid to gain ground against the rest of the bidders in the P3 milion event kicking off a four-leg Visayas swing of the Philippine Golf Tour’s milestone 10th season.
Jhonnel Ababa ruled here when CFdC first hosted a PGT leg last September although the multi-titled Davaoeño shotmaker did it via the short route, winning it in 54 holes after heavy rain cancelled third round play.
But with forecast of an overall good weather for the week, the 79-player cast headed by the country’s top guns, a host of foreign aces and six invitees brace for four days of battle and a wild finish in the event sponsored by ICTSI.
While Ababa is upbeat of scoring a repeat, the rest of the pack also exude confidence of putting up a solid showing, including veteran Jay Bayron, former Phl Masters champion Jerson Balasabas and PGT Asia leg winners James Ryan Lam, Justin Quiban, Joenard Rates and Rene Menor.
The list also includes PGT winners, led by Dutch Guido Van der Valk, Zanieboy Gialon, Charles Hong and Mars Pucay with the long-hitting Rey Pagunsan also coming into the event brimming with confidence coming off a victory in the National pro-am at Splendido.
Former national champion and Cebuano Lloyd Jefferson Go is also out to make an impact in his maiden stint on the circuit. /bmjo