Hopes high for local tour to resume

As quarantine restrictions eased up in regions serving as regular stops of the Philippine Golf Tour, hopes are high for the men of the tour, along with their women counterparts, to resume their hunt for fame and fortune soon.

In fact, sources from the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. said it has been in constant talks with the various golf clubs as to the feasibility of the tournaments being resumed after a 10-week hiatus from coronavirus outbreak although it would still depend on the situation of the virus in the next few weeks or months.

The PGTI cut short its Qualifying School last March at the onset of the pandemic and has put on hold its first three events for PGT’s 11th season simultaneous with the eighth Ladies PGT, including the Summit Point Challenge, the Delimondo National

Pro-Am and the Royal Northwood Challenge, leaving the pros without a source of income the last two-and-ahalf months.

But with the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) downgrading the lockdown status in the National Capital Region and other areas from modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) to general CQ after May 31, the sport is expected to go into full swing beginning Monday.

Holding pro tournaments, however, would entail stricter measures although some have earlier vouched that it can be done in line with the government’s health and safety protocols.

Cavite and Batangas, also home to a number of top championship courses, resumed operations as early as two weeks ago under the “new normal” setup as provided for in IATF’s guidelines through the recommendation of the National Golf Association of the Philippines.