The stage is set as more than 130 players vie for the Philippine Golf Championship presented by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) to start the Asian Tour season on 5 to 8 February at the famous East Course of the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club in Mandaluyong City.

Among the top golfers expected to see action are former Order of Merit (OOM) winners in John Catlin and Sihwan Kim of the United States as well as Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand in the event offering a total prize purse of $500,000 from the Asian Tour and the National Golf Association of the Philippines (NGAP), the sport’s governing body in the country.

Backed by the PSC under chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio, the tournament marks the second straight year that the country will host the season-opening event of the Asian Tour, which positions the country as a regional golfing powerhouse.

“Hosting the season opener of the Asian Tour for the second straight year reflects the confidence the international sporting community has in the Philippines,” Gregorio said.

“The Philippine Golf Championship aligns perfectly with our vision of using major events to inspire excellence, elevate Filipino athletes and strengthen the country’s sports tourism and global sporting profile.”

No less than President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. gave his stamp of approval to this tournament, similar to projects of the National Sports Tourism Inter-Agency Committee, which Gregorio also chairs.

These include the FIVB Men’s World Cup, the Futsal World Cup, the World Junior Gymnastics Championships, a premier international surfing classic, and the just-concluded WTA 125 Philippine Open.

Just like the previous international sporting events, the Philippine Golf Championship provides high-quality competition for Filipino golfers.

“The Filipino golfers can compete against the world’s best,” Gregorio said.

“We have proven that time and again. The Philippines, as a golf destination, is likewise comparable to the world’s best. Golf will be one of the pillars of our sports tourism efforts. The PSC and NST-IAC will closely work with NGAP to make sure we are successful.”

As for the NGAP, the event will showcase the talent of Filipino players. Recently, Aidric Chan and Carl Jano Corpus both captured titles on the Asian Development Tour.

“Working closely with the Asian Tour, we’re proud to showcase our players, our courses, and our capability to stage world-class events,” NGAP chairman Al Panlilio said.

“This tournament not only honors our rich golfing heritage but also inspires the next generation of Filipino golfers.”

The event will also feature former Asian Tour winners Suteepat Prateeptienchai, Poosit Supupramai, Ekpharit Wu, Rattanonn Wannasrichan and Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand, Jbe Kruger of South Africa, Hongtaek Kim of Korea and Lee Chieh Po of Chinese Taipei.

From the Philippines, among the 25 professionals expected to participate are former Philippine Open champions Angelo Que, Clyde Mondilla, and Gerald Rosales, as well as Antonio Lascuna, a five-time Philippine Golf Tour OOM winner.