Reigning champ leads crack field in PGT third leg

MANILA, Philippines — Jhonnel Ababa vows to go aggressive in chase of back-to-back title feat, leading a stellar international field in what promises to be an explosive opener in the rich ICTSI Club Filipino de Cebu Invitational today in Danao City.

Ababa ruled the inaugurals of this event last year but in 54 holes as heavy rains washed out the third round action with the Davaoeño shotmaker voicing his readiness to take on the best even via full route and in more challenging conditions.

“If others will opt for safe shots or lay-ups, I would rather attack them with my driver for possible shots at an eagle,” said Ababa, referring to the reachable par-5s and dogleg holes of the short but tricky layout with narrow fairways.

“They pushed back the tees to add more length. But I still like my chances and I think a 12-under overall total will win it,” added Ababa, who will be up against a crack field made up of the country’s top guns and a host of foreign aces in the P3 million event serving as the third leg of the Philippine Golf Tour’s milestone 10th season and the kickoff stage of a four-part Visayan swing.

Emphasis will also be on precision at the up-and-down, hazard-laden layout, which also requires course management for those who would opt not to take the risk and just bank on their iron games.

That makes the first round quite interesting with the likes of Americans Lexus Keoninh, Charles Lee, Pete Vilairatana and Sean Talmadge, Aussies Fidel Concepcion and Calum Junifer, Koreans Hwang Myung Chal, Kim Young Hyun, Park Jun Sung, and Japanese Ryui Hashimoto, Makoto Iwasaki, Yudai Suzuki, Kei Matsuoka, Kanata Nakagawa, Ryo Nishimura and Raiki Okamoto expected to likewise bank on their long games to fuel their respective title bids in the P3 million event sponsored by ICTSI.

Others looking for a big start are Emilio Parodi of Argentina, PGT Q-School topnotcher Marcos Pastor of Spain, Thai Pachara Sakulyong and Peter Stojanovski of Macedonia along with the event’s six invitees, including PGT Asia leg winner David Gleeson of Australia, Mateo Gomez and Sebastian Lopez of Colombia, Englishman George Twyman, Jack Sullivan, also from Australia, and former national champion Lloyd Go.