Eight of the top 15 players in the current Philippine Golf Tour Asia Order of Merit ranking brace for a fierce duel against the best and the brightest of Taiwan PGA as they slug it out in the Daan Taiwan Open beginning Thursday at the CCK Golf Club in Taichung.
The $100,000 championship is the first PGT Asia-sanctioned tournament abroad, highlighting its steady rise as one of the emerging circuits in the region. It is actually the first of two PGT Asia events to be played in Taiwan with the Nan Pao TPGA Open also scheduled on Sept. 26-29 at Nan Pao Golf Club in Tainan City.
A third PGTA tournament abroad later in the year is also being finalized.
Burly Namchok Tantipokhakul of Thailand, who edged Finnish Teemu Putkonen in PGTA third season’s kickoff leg at Luisita last month, spearheads the 48-player strong PH-based field.
Kammalas Namuangruk, also of Thailand who placed third at Luisita, is also in the fold along with Marcos Pastor of Spain, Singapore’s Choo Tze Huang, Japanese Keita Sudo and fellow Thais Natthapong Niyomchon and Donlapatchai Niyomchon.
Veteran Jay Bayron is the lone Filipino entry in the full packed 144-player roster that also drew bets from the US, Sweden, Australia, Colombia, Scotland, Malaysia, Argentina, South Africa and Korea as multi-titled Tony Lascuña begged off at the last-minute due to hand injury and the likes of Angelo Que and Juvic Pagunsan committed to play in Japan PGA also this week.
