Marvin Dumandan expects to get better, tougher coming off a hard loss at home as he steps up his drive for a Philippine Golf Tour crown that has eluded him the last 14 years in the ICTSI Mimosa Plus Championship, which unwraps Tuesday (Sept. 26) at the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga.

He nearly clutched the elusive trophy in Davao last week but a flubbed birdie-putt from short range on the 72nd hole had cost him the South Pacific Classic title won by Justin Quiban in a four-hole playoff.

But the impact of the loss hardly shook the typically carefree Dumandan’s confidence as he looked forward to settling an unfinished business in this week’s P2 million championship at the Mimosa Plus Golf Course, which is hosting a PGT event for the very first time.

“It’s a tough loss but I learned my lessons. I just hope to continue to get better and be able to contend again,” said Dumandan, who, before coming up short in South Pacific Classic, has never seriously figured in the title chase since ruling the Apo Classic in 2009 for his sixth career title.

But at Mimosa Plus, Dumandan could count on his power, along with the Tour’s other noted long hitters, although premium will also be on iron play and ball control with the layout’s last line of defense likewise expected to challenge the steadiest putters in the fold.

“I can’t tell if my game would fit at Mimosa Plus since I relied on my putting at South Pacific. But to win a PGT event will be an honor and a big achievement,” said Dumandan.

Quiban, meanwhile, won’t be around to go for a second straight championship to honor a previous commitment to play in the Asian Development Tour event in Indonesia, and this year’s only two-leg winner Clyde Mondilla, who topped the Forest Hills and Del Monte stages, and Bacolod leg champion Ira Alido are anchoring the country’s campaign in the Asian Games in China. But the Mimosa Plus roster remains as loaded as ever with Rupert Zaragosa, Reymon Jaraula, Tony Lascuña and Jhonnel Ababa all eyeing to close out the season with a second victory following their romps in Iloilo, Valley, Caliraya Springs and Villamor, respectively.

Others in the fold are reigning back-to-back The Country Club Invitational champion Guido van der Valk, former leg titlists Zanieboy Gialon, Michael Bibat, Jay Bayron, Jerson Balasabas and Mars Pucay along with Sean Ramos, Gerald Rosales, Anthony Fernando, Keanu Jahns, Albin Engino, Art Arbole and Enrico Gallardo.

Spicing up the chase in the 72-hole championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and supported by PGTI official apparel Kampfortis Golf, are young Korean and this year’s PGT Q-School topnother Hyun Ho Rho, former leg winner and comebacking Toru Nakajima of Japan, Ferdie Aunzo, Elmer Salvador, Nilo Salahog and young guns Gabriel Manotoc, Josh Jorge, Russel Bautista, Kristoffer Arevalo, Jonas Magcalayo, Luis Bagtas, Ivan Monsalve and Elee Bisera.