Wild finish eyed in Solaire PH Open

MANILA - This is one Solaire Philippine Open bracing for a classic ending on its Centennial staging.

With a best international cast ever assembled in years, a record prize fund and a dreaded course whose signature final hole could make or break one’s title bid, the country’s premier championship unwraps today (Wednesday, Feb. 28) with a promise of nothing but a thriller of a finish in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

There’s also the Centennial champion tag to fight for.

The elite 132-player field, including six former champions, 30 mainstays of One Asia Tour, 45 other foreign players from Philippine Golf Tour Asia and the cream of the local pro crop will not only be battling for the top $108,000 purse out of the whopping $600,000 fund put up by Solaire Resort and Casino, but also for history, this being the 100th tournament of Asia’s oldest National Open at The Country Club course.

“There’s no better way to win a premier golf championship than here in the Phl Open where history awaits the winner,” said Tony Lascuña, chasing perhaps the only crown missing in his vast trophy collection.

Former champions Mardan Mamat (2012) of Singapore and Aussie Marcus Both (2014) and last year’s winner Steve Lewton of England also seek to become the first repeat winner of the fabled event in the last decade along with local titlists Miguel Tabuena (2015), Angelo Que (2008) and legend Frankie Miñoza, the former Asia’s No. 1 who scored a Phl Open breakthrough in 1998 and the last player to win the coveted crown twice in 2007.

“I’m not getting any younger. But I’m always ready for the Phl Open,” said the 58-year-old Miñoza, stressing the younger ones will have an edge over the long, demanding course that measures up to 7,300 yards.

But with the winds not whipping up this week based on the web forecast, a shootout looms among the best of the best in all four days although others note wind condition could change at any given day at the TCC.