MANILA, Philippines - Artemio Murakami, Johvanie Abaño and Ramon Brobio head a big field of local players and foreign bets battling it out for the 40 slots for this year’s ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour at the start of the PGT Qualifying School today at Splendido Taal Golf Club.
Murakami, a former leg winner and veteran of the Asian Tour, missed the Top 40 in last year’s Order of Merit ranking due to poor form and finished in 51st place, forcing him to pass through the elims phase to regain his Tour card.
Abaño, who topped last year’s Q-School but struggled all year-long and ended up in 49th place, and Brobio, the former jungolf star, are also tipped to contend for berths in the 72-hole qualifier conducted by the Philippine Golf Tour.
LJ Go, who helped power Cebu Country Club to a first-ever back-to-back championship in last week’s PAL Men’s Interclub, leads 19 other amateurs seeking spots in the big league.
Others in the fold are Alabang’s top scorer Keanu Janhs, Miggy Yee, AR Ramos, Mark Dy, Brent Sumampong, Kenneth Kano and Micah Shin.
Dutch Guido Van der Valk, a regular campaigner on the circuit, is also vying for a spot in this year’s pro tour.
After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the top 60, including foreign entries, with the top 30 and 10 foreign bets gaining cards for the 2013 ICTSI-PGT circuit firing off March 20 with the ICTSI Sherwood Hills Classic.
Enjoying tremendous boom, this year’s tour will have a record 17-leg schedule, featuring six 72-hole championships, capped the season-ending ICTSI Wack Wack Championship.
The regular legs are slated over 54 holes.
A three-stage Mindanao swing is set from June 26-28 with ICTSI Rancho Palos Verdes Classic, the ICTSI Del Monte Championship on July 3-5 and the ICTSI Pueblo de Oro Championship on July 10-12.