The Country Club Invitational, the forerunner of each Philippine Golf Tour season, is set to kick off its 19th staging on 23 January with a stellar cast made up of the Top 30 in last year's PGT Order of Merit creating an intense competition for both substantial prizes and coveted prestige at the TCC course in Canlubang.

Guido van der Valk aims not just for a repeat but a three-peat victory in the 72-hole championship, which is staking P6 million in total prizes for the second straight year, maintaining its status as a major championship. The Dutchman beat Lloyd Go by five shots last year, breaking a trend of one-stroke victories in the four previous years.

Van der Valk's previous triumph in 2020 further highlights his prowess, making him a formidable contender in the tournament offering a top prize of P2 million.

The championship, launched by ICTSI chairman and chief executive officer Ricky Razon in 2003 to honor his father and ICTSI founder Don Pocholo, has evolved into an annual gathering of the country's elite and emerging talents.

There were no TCC Invitationals in 2015-16 and 2021-22.

Expected to join van der Valk in the title hunt are reigning OOM winner and last year's PGT two-stage champion Jhonnel Ababa, along with other leg titlists Clyde Mondilla, Reymon Jaraula, Ruperto Zaragosa and Ira Alido and former TCC Invitational winners such as Tony Lascuña, Frankie Miñoza, Miguel Tabuena and three-time champion Angelo Que.

The TCC course, known for its exacting features, including sheer length, unsettling hazards and sleek putting surface, adds an additional layer of difficulty with stifling heat and high winds expected at this time of the year, making it a true test of golf for the men of the tour.