Mondilla in pursuit of TCC crown

MANILA, Philippines — Clyde Mondilla hurt his knee while priming up for The Country Club Invitational, a setback he, however, hopes to defy when the P5 million championship is fired off March 4 at the TCC layout in Laguna. 

The injury has failed to slow down the Del Monte star, who has spent the last three weeks fine-tuning his driving and short game in preparation for what looms as a slambang duel of power and iron play against a select cast making up the Top 30 players in the last year’s Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit ranking.

Mondilla actually kicked off the new season with a stirring victory in the PGT Asia at Pradera Verde last month, rallying from five down in regulation and coming out triumphant after the most crowded playoff battle among five players in PGT and PGTA history. But heading to the event, he said he would need more than momentum given an elite roster of rivals and a dreaded course.

“I sprained my knee last Tuesday but I still like my chances although it isn’t that great since there are so many strong players around,” said Mondilla, who also humbled a stellar international field to win the Solaire Philippine Open, also at TCC, last year with a two-over total. “The course is also very challenging, tough.”

He said the big hitters have the slight edge at the Tom Weiskoph-designed layout although he stressed a lot of factors will also have to be considered owing to the course’s hazards, roughs and sleek putting surface.

The wind will likely to come into play in all four days of the event put up by ICTSI president and chairman Ricky Razon to honor the memory of his father and ICTSI founder Don Pocholo.