Juvic, Clyde join PGT Bacolod hunt

MANILA, Philippines – Juvic Pagunsan and Clyde Mondilla hope to make the most of their return to the Philippine Golf Tour as they toughen up the field set to slug it out for top honors in the ICTSI Bacolod Golf Challenge starting Wednesday in Murcia, Negros Occidental.

Pagunsan is taking a break from his Japan PGA Tour campaign to join the P2.5 million event which also serves as part of his buildup for his title-retention drive in Negros Occidental next week. The former Asia’s No. 1 marked his return on a course where he nurtured his game and won the Philippine Amateur crown in 2006, nipping Jobim Carlos in sudden death to win the ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic last year.

Though he had struggled in the first half of the two other regional tours, the smooth-swinging shotmaker is expected to figure in the title hunt in this week’s championship put up by ICTSI owing to his talent and skills, particularly his solid iron game that suits best at the short par-70 Bacolod Golf Club layout.

Like Pagunsan, Mondilla is also going all out to make an impact following a two-month long absence due to injury but the reigning Solaire Philippine Open champion will have his hands full against a fired-up field led by last week’s Club Filipino de Cebu Invitational winner and Manila-based Guido Van der Valk of the Netherlands.

Mondilla and Pagunsan finished tied at 22nd in the kickoff leg of PGT Asia at Luisita last April before the former took a break and the latter resumed his campaign in Japan.

Legend Frankie Miñoza is also making his return to the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., coming in as one of the invitees, along with Mateo Gomez and Sebastian Lopez of Colombia, Englishman George Twyman and Aussie Jack Sullivan and Gleeson.

Justin Quiban, meanwhile, seeks to recall the form that upstaged the cream of the local pro crop and a number of foreign aces here last year, where he put up three solid rounds and went on to beat Jay Bayron by five.

But like the other fancied bets, Quiban expects to encounter stiff opposition from the rest of the bidders, including Michael Bibat, Elmer Salvador, Albin Engino, Jhonnel Ababa, Rufino Bayron, Richard Abaring, Joenard Rates, Mars Pucay, Elmer Saban, Richard Sinfuego and Jay Bayron along with Americans Lexus Keoninh and Charles Lee, Japanese Kei Matsuoka and Taisei Mochita, Koreans Kim Young Hyun and Park Jun Sung, Spain’s Marcos Pastor, Thai Pachaera Sakulyong, Emilio Parodi of Argentina and Rafael Parra of Venezuela.

Also vying in the 72-hole championship serving as the second of the four-stage Visayan swing backed by Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Champion, Summit Mineral Water, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT and M.Y. Shokai Technology, Inc. are Ira Alido, Art Arbole, Ferdie Aunzo, Jerson Balasabas, Jun Bernis, Marvin Dumandan, Anthony Fernando, Mhark Fernando, Zanieboy Gialon, Keanu Jahns and PGT Asia leg winner James Ryan Lam.