Big guns brace for shootout

MANILA, Philippines - It will be an early show of shotmaking as majority of the big guns drew early tee-off times, guaranteeing a low scoring first round in the ICTSI Orchard Golf Championship beginning today at The Orchard’s Palmer Course in Dasmariñas, Cavite.

Angelo Que, back in the hunt after skipping the last two legs of the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour, hopes to come out strong in the 6:50 a.m. flight with fellow Asian Tour campaigner Tony Lascuña and amateur Dante Becierra on No. 1 while Juvic Pagunsan drew an 8 a.m. start with Mars Pucay and veteran Ernie Rellon, also at the frontside of the par-72 layout.

With reigning Philippine Open champion Elmer Salvador also set to start at 7:20 a.m. with Ruben Sasutil and amateur Justin Limjap, low scoring is expected among the fancied bets in the opener of the P1 million event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Current Order of Merit leader Artemio Murakami, meanwhile, will start at 9 a.m. in the company of Jerome Delariarte and Lino Retuerto while Jay Bayron drew a rather late start at 10 a.m. with Michael Bibat and reigning national champion Clyde Mondilla.

While in-form Pagunsan remains the top favorite for the top P200,000 purse owing to his runaway victory at the ICTSI Riviera Classic and a runner-up finish at the ICTSI Mt. Malarayat Championship last Saturday, a down-to-the-wire battle is expected among the country’s cream of the pro crop.

Pucay, for one, is also coming off an inspiring victory at ICTSI Forest Hills last month, which snapped a long title drought on the local tour and put him on No. 2 on the OOM ranking while Murakami is out to keep his lead in the OOM race halfway through the 13-stage circuit sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.

Que, a runaway winner of this year’s The Country Club Invitational, didn’t see action at Forest Hills and Mt. Malarayat but is tipped to contend for the crown in the 54-hole championship backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Jaguar, Land Rover, Studio 23, Balls TV, Srixon/Cleveland Golf, Callaway Golf, Odyssey and Golf Punk and media partners Business Mirror, Inquirer Golf Monthly, A Round of Golf, Pinoygolfer.com and Omnisource.

Que and Lascuña are expected to slug it out in an early morning shootout, so do Pagunsan and Pucay and the rest of the top guns over a course they hope to tame under benign playing condition to build the needed momentum when they switch tee times in the second round.

Although the Palmer course poses a different kind of challenge with its lateral hazards, thick roughs and gaping bunkers, the men of the tour are expected to buck the challenge owing to their form honed up by their regular stint on the circuit.

Focus will also be on the country’s leading amateurs, headed by Mondilla, who upstaged the likes of Mhark Fernando, Jhonnel Ababa, Peter Villaber and Becierra to capture this year’s national championship.