Miñoza seeks rare Open treble

Manila, Philippines - Frankie Miñoza tries to become only the third player to win the ICTSI-Philippine Open three times as the veteran Filipino shotmaker joins the hunt for the crown in the $300,000 event firing off May 12 at Wack Wack’s East course.

Miñoza took time off his busy US Senior Tour campaign to lead the local bets’ campaign against a crack international field in the blue-ribbon event, the country’s premier and Asia’s oldest championship which is making its return to the Asian Tour after a two-year absence.

The smooth-swinging Miñoza broke a long Phl Open drought when he bested a talent-laden international roster to win at Riviera’s Couples layout in 1998 then repeated the feat nine years later at Wack Wack.

 Miñoza hopes to match Taiwanese Lu Liang-huan’s three victories fashioned out in 1965, 1974 and 1978. Ben Arda is the other three-time winners in 1961, 1963 and 1979.

At 51 and 135 days, Miñoza will also try to become the oldest winner on the Asian Tour. The current record is held by Korea’s Choi Sang-ho, who topped the Maekyung Open in 2005 at age 50 years and 145 days.

Nine other former Phl Open champions are in the fold while a slew of top local and foreign players are also in the hunt, making it a star-studded and power-packed roster and ensuring a four-day showcase of shotmaking among the best in the region.

The International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI), which is in the business of acquiring, developing and operating container ports and terminals worldwide, is the title sponsor of the event with San Miguel Corp., Globe Telecom, Lexus,HSBC, Splash Corporation and Ayala Land Premier as chief backers. Other supporters of the event, held under the auspices of the National Golf Association of the Phils., are Srixon, Ricoh, BlackBerry, Inetol, Motorola, Label 5 and Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria.

Chasing their second crowns are Manila-based Canadian Rick Gibson, Taiwanese Yeh Chang-ting and Wang Ter-chang and Filipinos Gerald Rosales, Cassius Casas, Robert Pactolerin, Elmer Salvador, Artemio Murakami and Angelo Que, who won in 2008, also at Wack Wack.

The great Larry Montes remains the winningest player in the Open with 12 victories while the legendary Celestino Tugot has six titles.

Meanwhile, this year’s roster includes Swede ace and multiple winner Rikard Karlberg, Asian Tour leg winners Udorn Duangdecha, Pariya Junhasavasdikul, Chinnarat Phadungsil and Chapchai Nirat of Thailand, Peter Karmis of South Africa, Chan Yih-shin of Taiwan, Darren Beck of Australia and Siddikur of Bangladesh, No. 2 in the current Order of Merit ranking of the Asian Tour.

Teen sensation Miguel Tabuena and Juvic Pagunsan, on the other hand, will help carry the load for the local bets along with Jay Bayron, Marvin Dumandan, Tony Lascuna, Mars Pucay, Benjie Magada, Ferdie Aunzo, Orlan Sumcad, Elmer Saban, Ramil Bisera, Jun Bernis, Richard Sinfuego, Antonio Asistio II and Anthony Fernando.