In a shift from stroke play battles, the country’s leading pros and rising stars go head-to-head in the ICTSI The Country Club Match Play Invitational which gets going on Nov. 21 at the challenging TCC layout in Laguna.

The four-day championship will showcase those who excelled in the recently-concluded 10-leg Philippine Golf Tour and Ladies PGT with Tony Lascuña and Harmie Constantino poised to defend their titles after posting contrasting victories in the inaugural knockout format event at the Villamor Golf Club in Pasay last year.

The multi-titled Lascuña secured the men’s crown with a convincing 4&3 victory over Keanu Jahns while Constantino staged a comeback, clinching the women’s trophy on the 19th hole against top amateur Rianne Malixi.

But the road to back-to-back championships won’t be easy for Lascuña and Constantino as they face formidable challenges from the Top 32 in the PGT Order of Merit rankings and the Top 16 players in the LPGT money list, respectively.

The Country Club, renowned for its length, hazards and challenging holes, especially in the presence of the wind, will also test the skills of the elite cast in both the PGT and LPGT.

Action kicks off on Nov. 21 with the Round of 32 in the P2 million men’s competition and the Round of 16 in the P1.5 women’s tournament with the winners moving to the next round on Nov. 22 featuring the PGT Round of 16 and LPGT’s quarterfinal phase.

The PGT survivors will then face off in the morning quarterfinals on Nov. 23 and then in the semis in the afternoon together with the LPGT with the victors disputing the titles on the Nov. 24.

A pro-am tournament will be held on Nov. 20.
While the Ladies PGT will miss some notable players likes this year’s three-leg winner Daniella Uy, Bacolod leg titlist Chanelle Avaricio, Caliraya Springs leg champion Pauline del Rosario and young gun Malixi, the PGT side boasts of a strong lineup, including Jahns and this year’s leg winners Jhonnel Ababa (South Pacific and Villamor), Reymon Jaraula (Valley), Rupert Zaragosa (Iloilo), Ira Alido (Bacolod) and back-to-back TCC Invitational champion Dutch Guido van der Valk.

Uy, meanwhile, is vying for a spot in the LPGA of Taiwan (TLPGA) in an upcoming qualifier also slated next week while del Rosario is priming up for the LPGA Q-Series.

But in the LPGT fold are South Pacific winner Florence Bisera, who tied for 18th in last week’s Party Golfers Ladies Open in Taiwan, amateur and Valley leg champion Mafy Singson, who ended up joint 21st in Taiwan, Chihiro Ikeda, Sarah Ababa, Mikha Fortuna, Pamela Mariano, Gretchen Villacencio, Apple Fudolin, Rev Alcantara, Lovelyn Guioguio, Kristine Fleetwood, Eva Miñoza, Lucy Landicho, amateur Laurea Duque and Korean Seoyun Kim.