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The postponement of the weather-disrupted ICTSI Valley Golf Challenge only fueled the competitive fire among the country’s top golfers, who are now brimming with anticipation to return to the fairways and resume their chase for glory.

After weeks of waiting, recalibrating and bracing through harsh weather conditions that gripped Metro Manila and nearby provinces, the men and ladies of the Philippine Golf Tour are more than ready to shake off the rust and swing back into contention as the ICTSI Caliraya Springs Championship gets going Tuesday in Cavinti, Laguna.

With their momentum stalled since the Forest Hills stop last June, the pros have spent the delay productively — refining their swings, tightening their short games and sharpening their mental edge in anticipation of the next battle.

The unexpected lull may have tested their patience, but it only heightened their hunger to compete and prove themselves on the demanding Caliraya Springs Golf Club course.

For many, the layoff has created a bottleneck of competitive energy — now set to burst in what promises to be a riveting showdown in Laguna’s cool highlands. Rain or shine, these seasoned and rising stars are eager to make their mark and remind fans why they belong among the country’s golfing elite.

Guido van der Valk, who ended a long title drought with a one-stroke escape over Keanu Jahns and Angelo Que at Forest Hills, hopes to ride a wave of confidence into the P2 million championship, now serving as the fourth leg of this year’s Philippine Golf Tour sponsored by ICTSI, following the postponement of the Valley stop.