Splendido Classic starts ICTSI Tour

A slew of foreign players has joined the local top guns in the ICTSI Splendido Classic which kicks of the Philippine Golf Tour today marking the seventh season of the country’s lucrative golf circuit.

Jay Bayron, who battled back from nine strokes down and nipped brother Rufino by one in last year’s staging of the event, heads the elite cast seeking the top 560,000 purse in the ravinelaced course.

The tournament is one of 16 spread over several months in various courses around the country under the sponsorship of International Container Termi- nal Services, Inc.

But Jay Bayron will need more than talent and luck to keep the crown as reigning three-time ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit champion Tony Lascuna is also raring to start the season on a winning note along with Miguel Tabuena, Elmer Salvador, Charles Hong and Mars Pucay.

Their presence guarantees a torrid chase for the top prize and a host of Koreans and Japanese, South African and Dutch players are also in the mix, many of them going through Qualifying School last February.

“I would like to think that every- body has trained long and hard for this year’s campaign. And that should make each tournament interesting,” said Lascuna, who won five tournaments last year.

What made his campaign remarkable was that he saw action in only nine events.

“But it will be a different thing this year. There are a lot of good players out there raring to score a win. We also have to contend with the foreign players from the Q-School, so it’s going to be a lot tougher this time,” said Lascuna.

Still, he remains the marked play- er along with last year’s leg winners Tabuena, Salvador, Hong, Pucay, Cassius Casas, Rufino Bayron, Joenard Rates, Zanie Boy Gialon, Arnold Villacenio and Clyde Mondilla.

Angelo Que and Frankie Minoza are also in the fold, both seeking to snap a long drought along with Marvin Dumandan, Ferdie Aunzo, Jhonnel Ababa, Mhark Fernando, Anthony Fernando, Michael Bibat, Orlan Sumcad and Benjie Magada.

The event is backed by Nike Golf, Pacsports, Srixon, Callaway, Titleist, FootJoy, Custom Clubmakers and Sharp.