Splendido stages golf tour q’fying
ARTEMIO Murakami, Johvanie Abaño and Ramon Brobio head a big field of local and foreign players battling it out for 40 slots in this year’s ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour at the start of the PGT Qualifying School today at Splendido Taal Golf Club.
Murakami, a former leg winner and Asian Tour campaigner, missed the Top 40 in last year’s Order of Merit and finished in 51st place, forcing him to pass through the eliminations phase to regain his Tour card.
Abaño, who topped last year’s Q-School but struggled all year long and ended up in 49th place, and Brobio, the former world junior champion, are also tipped to contend for berths in the 72-hole qualifier conducted by the Philippine Golf Tour.
LJ Go, who helped power Cebu Country Club to a first-ever back-to-back championship in last week’s PAL Men’s Interclub, leads 19 amateurs seeking spots on the Tour.
Others in the fold are Keanu Janhs, Miggy Yee, AR Ramos, Mark Dy, Brent Sumampong, Kenneth Kano and Micah Shin.
Dutchman Guido Van der Valk, a regular campaigner in the circuit, is also vying for a spot in this year’s pro Tour.
After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the top 60, with the top 30 and 10 foreign players gaining cards for the 2013 ICTSI-PGT circuit which will fire off March 20 with the ICTSI Sherwood Hills Classic.
This year’s tour will have a record 17-leg schedule, featuring six 72-hole championships.