The Philippine Open officially returns today showcasing a curious field of local heroes, international stars and promising talents.
Still taking pride of its rich legacy as Asia’s oldest national championship, the Philippine Open lends itself as the jumping pad of touring pros wanting to carve out a name for themselves in the region.
2008 champion Angelo Que is one of those itching for a breakthrough win at home. Que will be a man to watch in the $500,000 championship with his home-course advantage. However, he remains mindful of the strong international field that includes three former Asian Tour Order of Merit winners.
The battleground of this year’s tournament will be the Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club which features a meticulously designed 7,138-yard par-70 Masters course notorious for its sleek greens and strategic hazards. The Masters course promises to test precision, strategy and nerve. An interesting twist will be the conversion of two par-5s into par-4s to elevate the challenge, emphasizing accuracy over power.
Que tees off at 6:55 a.m. on the first hole with Christopher Hickmann and Rahil Gangee, aiming for a steady start and an eventual birdie streak.
The other contenders, asidde from Que, are two-time Philippine Open champion Miguel Tabuena, Asian Tour veterans Jazz Janewattananond, Chan Shih-chang and Kim Yeongsu, and rising stars Justin delos Santos and Rianne Malixi aim. With home-course familiarity as an advantage, Tabuena starts his campaign at 7:15 a.m. against former champion Steve Lewton and LIV Golf standout Chase Koepka.
Malixi, the lone female amateur in the field, will play alongside Ervin Chang and Danthai Boonma at 8:15 a.m.
Other notable flights are Justin Quiban, Suteepat Prateeptienchai and Jeunghun Wang at 11:45 a.m., while Taichi Kho, Travis Smyth, and Scott Vincent take center stage in another high-stakes clash at 11 a.m.
