Jhonnel Ababa hopes to break a three-month slump with a solid game this week, seeking no less than a crack at the coveted ICTSI Villamor Philippine Masters crown when the P3 million event is fired off tomorrow (Wednesday, May 23) as its home at the Villamor Golf Club.

Like the rest of the elite international field, Ababa has spent the past month training and honing up for the event with focus on his iron game and putting needed on a tight, tree-lined hazard layout where small mistakes could lead to big scores.

Ababa actually started out the new season with back-to-back victories on the Philippine Golf Tour Asia at Eagle Ridge and Pradera Verde last January. But the former amateur hotshot suddenly turned cold in his next tournaments, ending up tied for 15th in the Centennial Solaire Philippine Open, and sharing seventh place at The Country Club Invitational, both at the TCC layout last February. He tied for 12th in the PGT Eagle Ridge Challenge last March and wound up joint 10th in the kickoff leg of the second PGT Asia at Luisita last month.

But heading to the Masters, the 33-year-old Ababa exudes confidence of recalling his fierce form but remains wary of the tough field bracing for a spirited chase for the top P550,000 purse in the event sponsored by ICTS and hosted by the VGC.

Like the rest, he hopes to join the elite roster of Masters winners, including Clyde Mondilla, who ruled the revival of the fabled event last year after a 17-year wait.

Ababa, along with Tony Lascuña and American Nicolas Paez, actually fell short by one in last year’s Masters finale and he believes he got what it takes to contend again for this year’s championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

So do Mondilla, Lascuña and the rest of the 110-player strong cast that includes the likes of Zanieboy Gialon, Erwin Arcillas, Tonton Asistio, Jerson Balasabas, Ferdie Aunzo, Jay Bayron, Rufino Bayron, Jun Bernis, Michael Bibat, Marvin Dumandan, Jelbert Gamolo, Keanu Jahns, Rene Menor, Mars Pucay, Justin Quiban, Joenard Rates and Orlan Sumcad.

Jobim Carlos, who nailed his first pro win but in a team championship in the National Pro-am with DJ Padilla at Splendido early this month, is also upbeat of finally securing the elusive individual crown in the event backed by BDO, KZG, Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Sharp, Champion, Summit Mineral Water and PLDT.

But the local top guns will be in for a tough outing against a host of foreign aces, led by Korean-American Micah Shin and Dutch Guido Van der Valk, who have posted a victory each on the local circuit this year, along with regular PGT and PGT Asia campaigners Peter Stojanovski of Macedonia, Keisuke Takahashi of Japan, Park Min Ung of Korea, American Lexus Keoninh and Spain’s Paya Vila Salvador.