The Masters to test Phl Open field

CARMONA, Cavite — The roughs will be grown longer, the greens will be faster, and with the winds buffeting this Southern part of the country at this time of year, the Masters course of the Manila Southwoods will be a big test for the Asian Tour field seeing action in the revival of the Philippine Open.

And wait, what is a par-72 for members will be made a par-70 for the $500,000 (roughly P29,000), 72-hole championship, and it will be stretched well over 7,200 yards to make for a grueling challenge even for the best in the region.

Though there remained to be a lot of scoring opportunities, two were taken out with Nos. 4 and 15 made into long par-4s that would make targeting pins truly difficult with mid- to long-iron shots for approaches.

The Masters, a Jack Nicklaus-created gem that has been the site of many prestigious amateur and international pro events, will be hosting Asia’s oldest national championship again from 23 to 26 January, and the exclusive club is leaving no stones unturned to make sure that it is in its best possible shape.

‘It’s an honor for the club to host the Open.’

“We’re confident that the Masters will provide the challenge that will crown the most deserving Open champion,” Al Panlilio, chair of the governing National Golf Association of the Philippines who was instrumental in plucking the event out of a hiatus, said.

“Sure, we will see low scores each day, but that doesn’t mean that it will be a cakewalk for anyone on the field.”

The event will also show how SW management got the Masters back in shape after typhoon “Kristine” devastated the country a couple of months back and rendered four holes unplayable.

“We want to show the world the quality of the championship course we have — to show the beauty of the Philippines and the beauty of Southwoods,” Jayson Yu, the club’s officer-in-charge, said.

“It’s an honor for the club to host the Open.”

While a lot of players see low scores, the Masters will not be made defenseless with the roughs to be grown up to at least three inches and penalize errant shots of players wishing to overpower the course. The greens will be up to international standards, but pins will be placed on tricky spots that would make approaches to the right areas critical.

The winds are also expected to be present on Open week which will add another layer to the challenge.