Marquee matches up in TCC golfest

Philippine Open champion Clyde Mondilla gets the rare chance to showcase his wares against idol and fellow Del Monte ace Frankie Miñoza in one of the key matches ushering in the 15th The Country Club Invitational today at the dreaded TCC layout in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

Defending champion Korean-American Micah Shin slugs it out with local top guns Elmer Salvador and Jhonnel Ababa; reigning Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit titlist Jobim Carlos takes on multi-titled and former winner Tony Lascuña and American Lexus Keoninh; and former Asia’s No. 1 Juvic Pagunsan clashes with Dutch Guido Van der Valk and Albin Engino in the other featured face-offs in the first two days of the 72-hole championship kicking off the PGT’s milestone 10th season.

Redemption will be Pagunsan’s battle cry this week after the smooth-swinging shotmaker missed the cut in the Phl Open following a seven-shot romp at PGT Asia Riviera. He also seeks to bounce back from a joint 22nd place effort with Mondilla at Luisita.

Pagunsan and Angelo Que actually boast of three victories each here and the lure of becoming the first player to win a record fourth crown should also motivate the veteran campaigners in the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Que launches his drive for that historic feat at 8:40 a.m. with young Korean Kim Joo Hyung and Macedonia’s Peter Stojanovski even as Phl Masters champion Jerson Balasabas tangles with Mhark Fernando and American Pete Vilairatana at 7:30 a.m. and veteran Jay Bayron mixes it up with Zanieboy Gialon and Anthony Fernando in the next group.

Only the top 30 players in the 2018 PGT OOM ranking are competing in the R5 million event, thus making it an elite championship that has long been ranked alongside the Phl Open for its prestige, prize money and stellar cast.