Thai champs banner Aboitiz Invitational cast

MANILA, Philippines — The Thais are coming in full force in pursuit of another Philippine Golf Tour Asia crown with Namchok Tantipokhakul and Wisut Artjanawat spearheading the crack roster all geared up for four days of battle of shotmaking in the ninth Aboitiz Invitational beginning Wednesday at Wack Wack’s East course.

Ratchapol Jantavara and Tawan Phongphun, who finished 1-2 in this year’s PGTA Qualifying Tournament at Luisita, are also in the fold, ready to join the growing roster of Thai winners in the region’s emerging circuit put up by ICTSI in 2017.

Other Thais aiming for top finish in the $100,000 championship organized by Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. and Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. are Pasavee Lertvilai, Chonlatit Chuenboonngam, Kammalas Namuangruk, Donlapatchai Niyomchon, Natthapong Niyomchon, Tawit Polthai, Puk Pradittan, Varanyu Rattanaphiboonkij, Nirun Sae-Ueng and Pachara Sakulyong.

But Tantipokhakul and Artjanawat will surely be the marked men in the four-day championship with the former seeking a follow-up to his one-stroke victory over Finland’s Teemu Putkonen in the kickoff leg at Luisita last April and the latter snapping a long title drought with a record win at Daan TPGA Open last May, the first PGT Asia event to be staged abroad.

Outside of the Thais, other foreign bets tipped to contend for the top $17,500 purse are Tarik Can, Sam Gillis, Lexus Keoninh, Charles Lee, Matt Lutz, Brett Munson, Joshua Salah and Sean Talmadge of the US, Aussies Tim Stewart, David Gleeson, Sam Gervinas, Fidel Concepcion and Jerram Chudleigh, Japanese Issei Mori, Keita Sudo, Nayoa Takahashi and Seiji Yanagisawa, and Shin Seung Woo, Park Jun Sung, Moon Seung Ryul, Lee Sang Min, Lee Hyun Jun, Jung Chae Won and Hwang Myung Chal of Korea.