The Philippine Golf Tour starts its grueling season-ending stretch down south today (Wednesday, Sept. 11) with top guns from talent-rich Mindanao, led by the veterans and rising stars from Davao and Del Monte eager to dominate in the ICTSI Pueblo de Oro Championship in Cagayan de Oro City.

Jay Bayron, Tony Lascuña, Jhonnel Ababa and Elmer Salvador along with Clyde Mondilla, Reymon Jaraula, Johvanie Abaño, Magno Arancon, Jelbert Gamolo and Noel Langamin set out for four days of battle of shotmaking and putting at the Pueblo de Oro layout expected to provide a different kind of challenge for the men of the tour coming off a punishing test at the tight Wack Wack East last week.

But dangers also lurk at Pueblo’s winding fairways, menacing bunkers and deep ravines with the wind expected to add up to the challenge, making the title chase in the P2.5 million event kicking off a four-leg Mindanao swing worth watching.

Del Monte will host the next stop on Sept. 18-21 while Davao takes its turn on Oct. 2-5 for the ICTSI Apo Golf Invitational before the ICTSI-sponsored circuit winds up its 10th season at the South Pacific Golf and Leisure Estates, also in Davao, on Oct. 9-12.

But Bayron, Mondilla and company also expect a fierce challenge from the rest of the 78-player field, including Ira Alido, former Phl Masters titlist Jerson Balasabas, Michael Bibat, Marvin Dumandan, Zanieboy Gialon, Keanu Jahns, Mars Pucay, Joenard Rates, Gerald Rosales and Rupert Zaragosa.

The young Alido, for one, is due for a breakthrough with the 18-year-old rising star vowing to come out stronger and a lot tougher after blowing his title bid at Aboitiz Invitational with a final round foldup.

Twenty-four foreign bets are also keen on spoiling the locals’ title bid in the 72-hole championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., all ready to duplicate young Korean Kim Joo Young’s title run here last year, including Thai Kammalas Namuangruk and Macedonia’s Peter Stojanovski.

Manila-based Dutch Guido Van der Valk also hopes to come up with a solid start to fuel his drive for a second leg win after topping the Club Filipino de Cebu Invitational of the four-leg Visayan swing last June.

Other foreign aces vying in the event, backed by Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Champion, Summit Mineral Water, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT and M.Y. Shokai Technology, Inc., are Koreans Jeong Jooan and Choi Sangrog, Spain’s Rafa Culla, Greg Gonzalez and Riley Keagle of the US, Japanese Kanata Nakagawa, Ryui Hashimoto and Makoto Iwasaki, Scots Julian Hood and Ryan Hood, Aussie Jack Lane-Weston, Argentina’s Emilio Parodi and Brunei’s Aslimon Qawin.

Still, focus will be on the region’s leading players, majority of whom are seeking redemption from a series of failed bids, including Bayron, who missed the cut at Wack Wack, multi-titled Lascuña, who remained winless in two years, and Mondilla, who hopes to mark his return from a long layoff with a podium finish.

Reigning Philippine Open champion Clyde Mondilla hopes to put up a strong showing coming off a long rest, targeting no less than a top finish in the ICTSI Pueblo de Oro Championship unfolding tomorrow (Wednesday, Sept. 11) in Cagayan de Oro City.

The 2017 PGT Order of Merit winner marked his 2019 start with that surprise victory in the country’s premier championship at The Country Club last April but withdrew from other events to take a much needed break. He returned from a two-month layoff and tied for 12th in Bacolod and after missing a couple more tournaments, he turned in a third-place effort at Riviera last month but skipped the Aboitiz Invitational of the PGT Asia last week.

But with the PGT resuming with four tournaments in Mindanao, the Del Monte ace finds it fitting to sort of re-launch his campaign at his turf with this week’s P2.5 million event sponsored by ICTSI also serving as part of his buildup for the ICTSI Del Monte Championship on Sept. 18-21 where he hopes to dominate on a course he calls home.

“I just took a long rest, no injuries whatsoever, so I hope play good this week,” said Mondilla.

But like Mondilla, the rest of the stellar cast are ready and raring to fuel their respective drive with strong showing, ensuring a spirited battle right in the first round of the 72-hole championship serving as the seventh leg of the 10th season of the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

They include a slew of top guns from talent-rich Mindanao, led by Davaoeños Jhonnel Ababa, Jay and Rufino Bayron, Mhark Fernando, Ferdie Aunzo, Tony Lascuña and Elmer Salvador, along with Johvanie Abaño, Reymon Jaraula, Paul and Peter Miñoza.

A number of foreign aces are also out to spoil the locals’ bid, including American Lexus Keoninh, Thais Kammalas Namuangruk and Pachara Sakulyong, Macedonia’s Peter Stojanovski and Dutch Guido Van der Valk, who is actually shooting for a second leg win after ruling the Club Filipino de Cebu Invitational last June.

Meanwhile, a select group of pros, led by Mondilla, test the Pueblo layout one last time in today’s (Tuesday) pro-am where they will be paired with officials and guests of the event’s chief backers, including ICTSI, Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Champion, Summit Mineral Water, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT and M.Y. Shokai Technology, Inc.

Others tipped to contend for the top P450,000 purse are former Phl Masters titlist Jerson Balasabas, Michael Bibat, Marvin Dumandan, Anthony Fernando, Keanu Jahns, Mars Pucay, Gerald Rosales and Rupert Zaragosa.