THE GREENS of the Rancho Palos Verdes Golf and Recreational Estates in Davao will be the battlegrounds of the country’s best golfers this week as the ICTSI Rancho Palos Verdes Classic tees off today in what is expected to be a war between the Davaoeno shotmakers.
Elmer Salvador rejoins the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour, completing a deep cast of Davaoenos tipped to lead the chase for top honors in this P1 million tournament.
Salvador, a former Order of Merit champion, skipped the last ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour leg at Orchard last month due to illness and has struggled in his return to competitive golf, finishing tied for 44th finish at the Queens Cup in Thailand and 62nd at Selangor Masters in Malaysia last week.
But the reticent shotmaker vows to rebound strong this week, along with a slew of top local shotmakers expected to contend for the top P200,000 purse in this fifth leg of the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour.
The 82-player field is indeed teeming with talent. From local aces Tony Lascuna, the reigning Order of Merit champion, to ICTSI John Hay winner Jay Bayron, to the likes of Jhonnel Ababa, Marvin Dumandan, Ferdie Aunzo, Rufino Bayron and Cassius Casas to title-hungry Michael Bibat, Rey Pagunsan and veteran Frankie Minoza, the title chase in the 54-hole championship could go down to the last putt. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio