Jobim Carlos hopes to rebound from a mediocre showing at Eagle Ridge following a playoff setback at Eastridge, seeking no less than a breakthrough win in the ICTSI Forest Hills Championship beginning tomorrow (Wednesday, June 22) at the Forest Hills Golf and Country Club in Antipolo.

The rookie pro showed a lot of promise despite bowing to Clyde Mondilla in sudden death at the Manila Masters last month but turned in a so-so finish the following tournament, ending up tied at 26th at the Eagle Ridge Invitational won by Tony Lascuña early this month.

Carlos also failed to make the cut in last week’s Queen’s Cup in Thailand but the former national champion remains upbeat of his chances in the P2 million tournament sponsored by ICTSI the way the rest of the crack international field feels of their respective bids.

That should make the battle for the top P360,000 purse tight and fierce with Carlos tipped to be among the early contenders along with Lascuña, Mondilla, Jay Bayron, Elmer Salvador, Orlan Sumcad, Charles Hong, Cassius Casas and Zanieboy Gialon.

Mars Pucay, who won here when the rolling, challenging layout first hosted a Philippine Golf Tour event in 2010, also hopes to re-display the form he showed in topping the elite field that included Juvic Pagunsan, who, however, pulled out without prior notice in the first round, leading to his suspension.

Meanwhile, Carlos, Lascuña and Mondilla, along with the other leading pros, test the par-72 layout in today’s (Tuesday) pro-am tournament where they will be paired with the guests and officials of the event’s chief backers, including by Custom Clubmakers, adidas, KZG, Summit Mineral Water, Srixon, Pacsports, TaylorMade, Sharp and Champion.

Dutch Guido Van der Valk will be the lone foreign player in the pro-am but a host of others are expected to crowd the local aces in the tournament proper, including Japanese Yuta Sudo and Koichi Minami and Koreans Charlie Chang, Song Hyup Hong, Kim Chang Yeon, Thomas Kim, Brian Kim, Park Chan Jung, Park Jun Song and Park Min Ung and American Chris Oetinger.

Other local players seeing action are Jhonnel Ababa, Joenard Rates, Rico Depilo, Rene Menor, Rufino Bayron, Michael Bibat, Justin Quiban, Jerson Balasabas, Albin Engino, Mhark Fernando, Marvin Dumandan, Randy Garalde and Arnold Villacencio.