MANILA, Philippines - Chinese Taipei’s Lu Wei-chih and Japanese ace Tetsuji Hiratsuka head a power-packed cast of champions for the Asian Tour’s ICTSI Philippine Open slated Feb. 9-12 at Wack Wack Golf and Country Club’s fabled East layout next month.
Lu, a two-time winner of the Mercuries Taiwan Masters and Yeangder Tournament Players Championship at home last season, will be gunning for his maiden victory outside of his native country against a field teeming with talent from no fewer than 20 countries.
Hiratsuka, on the other hand, will be searching for his fifth Asian Tour victory in three seasons in the 96th staging of the country’s premier golfing championship serving as the second leg of the Asian Tour’s 2012 season. The new season fires off next week with the Zaykabar Myanmar Open presented by Air Bagan.
The Japanese veteran won three times in 2010 to finish third on the Order of Merit and triumphed once more last season to finish second on the rankings, strengthening his reputation as one of Asia’s top players.
The duo will be among a group of nine players who won on Asia’s elite circuit last season where they will try to dethrone reigning Philippine Open champion Berry Henson of the United States, who beat local ace Jay Bayron last year, also at Wack Wack.
The ICTSI Philippine Open, meanwhile, will be broadcast live over four rounds on the Asians Tour’s global television playform, which reaches over 200 countries. The event, sanctioned and held under the auspices of the National Golf Association of the Phils., will be open to the public.
“This is a prelude to the 100-year celebrations of the Philippine Open,” said NGAP president Larry Mendoza.
NGAP secretary-general Jun Arceo said the Philippine Open telecast is a major breakthrough “since this will be the first time that the Philippine Open will be aired live in 200 countries all over the globe.”
Meanwhile, the International Container Terminal Services, Inc., the world’s leading port management and long-time supporter of local golf, will be the event’s title sponsor for the second straight year with HSBC, Panasonic Phils. and Globe Telecom, San Miguel Corp., Cathay Pacific and Omega as the other chief backers.