By Roy Luarca
THE LEAN, uncertain days of Filipino golf pros will soon be over.
Recognizing the need for more local tournaments, International Container Terminal Services (ICTSI) through its chair and president Enrique K. Razon Jr. will be launching the Philippine Golf Tour in October.

The inaugural event will be the ICTSI Valley Golf Challenge slated at the Valley Golf and Country Club in Antipolo City from Oct. 1 to 3, followed by two more tournaments this season.
At least 10 more events have been scheduled for 2009 by promoter World Sport Group, a Singapore based
outfit promoting golf tournaments in Asia.

“The Philippine Golf Tour was born out of the need to provide more tournaments for our country’s golfers to compete in, particularly the younger professionals,” said Razon. “It has been at least 10 years since the Philippines boasted a domestic circuit of any stature.”

The prize money for each tournament will be about 1 million pesos (approximately $21,320).
ICTSI has long been assisting Philippine golf, backing an event on the Mercedes-Benz Tour at Mt. Malarayat Golf and Country Club. It also supports local pros, including reigning Philippine Open champion Angelo Que, Juvic Pagunsan and Anthony Lascuna.

“The success of the ICTSI Mt. Malarayat Championship and the Mercedes-Benz Tour as a whole has also played a significant role in making us move forward with creating a strong domestic circuit in the Philippines,” added Razon.

The second tournament, called the ICTSI Sherwood Hills Classic, will tee off at Sherwood Hills Golf Club in Trece Martires, Cavite, from Oct. 29 to 31, followed by the ICTSI Apo Golf Invitational at Apo Golf and Country Club in Davao City fromDec. 3 to 5.

“This (Tour) really is a godsend for golf in our country,” said Que, winner of the ICTSI Mt. Malarayat Championship. “We have so many great golfers at professional and amateur level despite the fact that we do not have enough domestic events to play in. With a full schedule of tournaments set to take place, golf in the Philippines will be able to take even greater strides forward.”

The two Mercedes-Benz Tour events played in the Philippines this year served as a model for the Philippine Golf Tour and next season the plan is to link events between the two circuits.

“This is a very exciting initiative that we are all looking forward to.We are indebted to the support of ICTSI and other sponsors such as Callaway, Maruman, Motorola, and Srixon,” said Patrick Feizal Joyce, vice president of the World Sport Group–Golf.

Among the events World Sport Group promotes are the Barclays Singapore Open, the Hero Honda Indian Open and the Volvo Masters of Asia. It is also responsible for the Mercedes-Benz Tour and the Omega China Tour.

The 2008 Philippine Golf Tour schedule:
ICTSI Valley Golf Challenge, Oct. 1-3 Valley Golf & Country Club Don Celso Tuason Ave. Antipolo City
ICTSI Sherwood Hills Classic, Oct. 29-31Sherwood Hills Golf Club, Trece Martires, Cavite City
ICTSI Apo Golf Invitational, Dec. 3 to 5 Apo Golf & Country Club Bago Talomo District, Davao City

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