Elite cast opens bid in wind-swept TCC Invit’l

SANTA ROSA, Laguna , Philippines  – The new-look The Country Club course offers a true test for a star-studded field at the start of the P5 million TCC Invitational-Don Pocholo Razon Memorial Cup today here.

Three-time champions Angelo Que and Juvic Pagunsan, two-time titlist Cassius Casas, former winners Tony Lascuña, Frankie Miñoza, Artemio Murakami, and Olympian Miguel Tabuena banner the elite cast over a course that could play to a maximum yardage of 8,000 yards from the back tees.

“For me, it’s the hardest course in the Philippines because of length and the wind. I guess this week, it’s about managing your numbers. There wouldn’t be a lot of birdies and the person who makes the less bogeys will win,” said Tabuena, who took a break from his overseas campaign to compete in what has become one of the country’s most prestigious, coveted golf championships.

Casas, winner of the last tourney held here in 2014 before the TCC underwent a major facelift, and Lascuña, the man he beat for the crown, agreed the longer yardage of the Tom Weiskopf-designed course would play a key factor in the four-day meet.

“Sobrang haba. Advantage dito yung malakas pumalo. Ako hindi masyado malakas pumalo pero I’ll try my best pa rin (It’s a long course and the power-hitters have the edge here),” said Lascuña.

“Mahaba ngayon, especially ‘yung par-3, pero nakaka-adjust naman,” said Casas, who beat Lascuña by one shot in a thrilling finish three years ago.

Long-hitters thus enjoy the edge in the chase for the top plum.

“It’s a long course and I’m one of the longest hitters in the tour so I feel I have a bit of an advantage here,” said Tabuena, who is coming off a third place finish in Myanmar last Sunday.

The wind on the course built out of Laguna’s sugar lands should be taken into consideration as well.

“Kung may hangin, siguro maski four-over mananalo dito; kung walang hangin, kahit even par (With the wind, a four-over could win here, but without it, an even par will do),” said Lascuña, who related landing on the bunker on his second shot using hybrid 5-wood on the last hole during yesterday’s pro-am.

Casas, who also won the inaugural staging of this event put up by ICTSI chairman and president Ricky Razon in 2003 to honor the memory of his father, ICTSI founder Don Pocholo, also expressed readiness to take on all comers and repeat as champ.

“Okay ang palo ko kanina, okay lahat. Humanda sila (My game is okay and they got to be ready),” he said.

 TCC is hosting a tournament for the first time since undergoing renovation the last two years.

“It’s challenging because we’ve added a few creeks to some of the holes, we added minor changes but it makes a difference in terms of how you play it. It’s gonna be more of a thinking game, basically, they really have to take care of their next shot,” said Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and TCC general manager Colo Ventosa.

“It’s long but PGA standard. It’s a challenging course, definitely,” added Ventosa, who also joined TCC president Jose Eduardo Alarilla, and ICTSI golf program head and PGT executive director Narlene Soriano in launching the 2017 ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour season as well as feting the winners of last year’s circuit.

Dutch Guido Van Der Valk and OV Espiritu, meanwhile, topped the pro-am with a net 62, beating Que and Jun Sta. Ana (63) and Ryomi Miki and Alex Revilla (63).

The first leg of this year’s PGT will be on Feb. 15-18 with the Anvaya Cove Invitational in Bataan while the Ladies PGT will start on March 14 at Splendido Taal Golf Club.