Golf: ICTSI PGT 2013 season kicks off first leg at Sherwood Hills

The ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour ushers in its 17-leg 2013 season with the staging of the P2.5-million Sherwood Hills Classic at the Sherwood Hills Golf Club in Trece Martires, Cavite on Wednesday.
    
Fancied Frankie Minoza, Jay Bayron and Miguel Tabuena are expected to figure for the title although Marvin Dumandan, Sherwood Hills' sponsored pro, is hoping to make his mark this week.
    
Dumandan, a three-time PGT leg winner who last won at the Camp John Hay in April 2012, has been training hard at the windy course of Sherwood Hills, something that could work to his advantage.
    
But to get there and take home the P450,000 grand prize for the champion, Dumandan is facing a big challenge as Minoza, Bayron, Tabuena and company are also thinking of the same thing.
    
"It's been almost a year since that Baguio win and I'm certain that I am due for at least one title this year. Hopefully it comes at Sherwood Hills where I have been honing my skills lately," he said.
    
Aside from the four, the others tipped for one big fight are Cassius Casas, Ferdinand Aunzo, Jun Bernis, Jhonel Ababa, Charles Hong, Zanie Boy Gialon, former Philippine Open winner Gerald Rosales, Rey Pagunsan, and Carl Santos-Ocampo.
    
Philippine-based Dutchman Guido Van der Valk, the top man in the recent PGT Qualifying School, starts his campaign in the PGT with also the crown on his mind.
    
After Sherwood Hills, the PGT heads to Wack Wack for the Solaire Manila Open, which will be tied up with the Asian Tour.  It is set on April 11 to 14.
    
Meanwhile, Ababa and amateurs Robert Alarilla, Daudo Go and Mac Hermoso assembled a 56 to grab the pro-am tournament crown as they won by count back over pro Randy Garalde and partners Oca and Nila Patricio and Melvin Lagasca.  Dumadan plus Rex Goquingco, Katsuo Miura and Tony Villaruel were third with a 57. - AMD, GMA News