Red-hot Ababa has bullseye on his back

DAVAO, Philippines — Jhonnel Ababa, buoyed by his recent sudden-death victory at Apo, approaches the ICTSI Palos Verdes Championship with cautious optimism when the P2 million event unfolds on Tuesday here.

While he faces a formidable lineup of competitors, he will also encounter unfamiliar territory at the Palos Verdes course, unlike the previous venue of the Philippine Golf Tour. Ababa also expressed concern about the scorching heat expected to double the temperature back home.

“It’s hot at Palos Verdes and we rarely get to play there, so there’s no home course advantage,” said the reigning PGT Order of Merit champion, referring to the par-72 layout, considered one of the most beautiful yet challenging courses in the country.

Featuring island greens and various types of hill slopes and undulating putting surface, the golf course in Barangay Mandug is also known for its difficulty.

But what piques Ababa’s interest most is the competitive field. Guido van der Valk, whom the Borough Lasik Center-backed shotmaker nipped in the first playoff hole at Apo, is surely brimming with confidence after a strong showing in the kickoff leg of this year’s 10-leg circuit sponsored by ICTSI.

Local stars Tony Lascuña and Jay Bayron, who tied for third last week, are determined to put a stronger performance this week, while several foreign PGT Q-School graduates, who contended early in the Apo Golf Classic but faltered at the finish, are eager to seek redemption.

They include Americans Drew Proctor and Collin Wheeler, Koreans Gwon Minwook and Min Hyeok Yu, and Japanse Toru Nakajima.