Magada seeks 2nd straight ICTSI title

MANILA, Philippines - Benjie Magada tries to become the first player to score back-to-back victories on the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour as he leads the title chase in the P1 million ICTSI Apo Golf Invitational firing off tomorrow at the Apo Golf and Country Club in Davao.

Magada bucked a bout with arthritis to nip Davaoeños Tony Lascuña and Jay Bayron in a three-hole playoff to capture the ICTSI Orchard leg crown two weeks ago, snapping a long title drought on the local front. He also beat Lascuña in the final of the Seremban Masters of the Malaysia Tour in 2008.

“My knees are okay now but it would really depend on my swing,” said Magada in Filipino. “In golf, each shot varies in any given day but I’ll give it my best shot to score another win.”

The wiry pro said emphasis should be on shotmaking with the tight Apo layout expected to punish those with wayward shots. He picks reigning RP Open champion and ICTSI-Mt. Malarayat leg winner Elmer Salvador and the other Davaoeño bets to lead the battle for the top P200,000 purse staked in the 54-hole tournament sponsored by International Terminal Container Services, Inc.

Magada also hopes to shrug off the pent-up emotions of his botched flight yesterday after airline personnel had demanded a second round of charges for his excess baggage. He actually paid the dues the first time he was assessed and was allowed to proceed but was later stopped, with the airline personnel insisting that he had an oversized hand-carry bag and demanding a separate charge.

But just as he was about to settle the dues, he was told that they had to pull out his stuff since the plane was about to leave, forcing him to miss the flight and the pro-am tournament today.

Still, Magada remains hopeful of his chances for another championship in the event serving as the eighth leg of the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and 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.

Aside from Magada, Lascuña and Elmer Salvador, other players to watch are Cassius Casas, Angelo Que, Marvin Dumandan, Artemio Murakami and Juvic Pagunsan, the defending champion who scored a runaway six-shot victory last year.