CEBUANO ace golfer, Charles “Chuckie” Hong aims to ride on the momentum of his breakthrough win at the Pueblo de Oro in Cagayan de Oro last week as he troops to Davao City to compete in the P1 million ICTSI Ranchos Palos Verdes Classic starting this Wednesday.
The par-72 layout has been spruced up to championship condition in time for its first hosting of an ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour leg with Hong now emerging the player to watch following his Pueblo win and with the tour’s big guns still on the Asian Tour.
While the pressure to nail a first win now off on the young sophomore pro, Hong opted to downplay his chances to score the first back-to-back victory in the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
“Right now, I don’t feel pressured,” said Hong in a press statement. “But it’s a different tournament altogether so I’ll just treat it like the one last week,” he added.
Hong came from behind to capture the ICTSI Pueblo de Oro title, closing out with a seven-under 65 then coming up with a routine par to edge veteran campaigner Richard Sinfuego on the first playoff hole.
The win pushed Hong from No. 13 to No. 9 in the Order of Merit ranking with the 24-year-old shotmaker hoping to go up further the ranking with another solid finish in Davao and in the last three legs of the 15-stage circuit sponsored by ICTSI. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio