Stellar cast

Stellar cast | Daily Tribune

On Wednesday, Ramos headlines a strong local contingent of 46 Filipino players determined to make their mark on home soil, with valuable ranking points and a potential pathway back to the game’s bigger stage on the line.

For Ramos, the mission is clear: continue his impressive ADT run, climb higher in the standings, and put himself in position to reclaim the Asian Tour status he once held.

The top 10 players in the 13-leg Asian Development Tour will secure full Asian Tour status next season — a prize Ramos is desperately fighting to reclaim.

“I’m currently 10th, so I need to keep playing and improve my standing,” Ramos said after Tuesday’s pro-am at Luisita Golf and Country Club, where every swing this week could shape his future.

The 22-year-old believes Luisita will demand patience, precision, and power after heavy rains stretched the course beyond its usual bite.

“Putting the ball in the fairway is the key,” Ramos said. “With the lift, clean and place rule in effect, you have to take advantage of every good drive. The course is playing longer, and some of the greens were a little slow today.”

For Ramos, the equation is simple: hit fairways, stay aggressive, and keep his Asian Tour dream alive.

For Angelo Que, winning at Luisita would be a first.

“It’s never too late to win one (here), although the course is playing much tougher from what I am used to,” said the 47-year-old warrior whose last win came last month at Caliraya Springs Golf Club in Cavinti, Laguna.

Que said the greens were slow during the pro-am, but did not discount the possibility of speedier greens during the tournament.

For Angelo Que, a victory at Luisita would be a long-awaited first.

“It’s never too late to win one here,” said the 47-year-old veteran, who remains one of the most respected figures in Philippine golf. “Although the course is playing much tougher than what I’m used to.”

Que comes into the week with confidence after capturing the ICTSI Caliraya Springs Championship last month at Caliraya Springs Golf Club in Cavinti, Laguna, proving he can still contend against younger rivals.

The three-time Asian Tour winner noted that the greens were relatively slow during Tuesday’s pro-am, but expects conditions to become more challenging once the tournament begins.

“The greens were a bit slow today, but that could change over the next few days,” Que said. “We’ll have to see how they prepare the course for the tournament.”

The tournament has also attracted 82 international contenders, led by Indonesia’s Jonathan Wijono, one of the Asian Development Tour’s breakthrough winners this season.

Wijono, who previously competed at Luisita during the Southeast Asian Games, believes the course presents a stern but enjoyable test.

“I love the layout because it makes you think,” he said. “The greens are tricky, and it’s always a pleasure to play in the Philippines.”

The stakes are even higher for the local contingent. Except for veteran Tony Lascuña, virtually all of the country’s leading domestic campaigners are in the field, battling not only for the title but also for two coveted spots in the Philippine Open, part of the Asian Tour’s International Series in November.

According to National Golf Association of the Philippines secretary general Bones Floro, the top two Filipino finishers this week who do not already hold Asian Tour exemptions will earn berths in the $2-million championship backed by Bingo Plus.

The BingoPlus Philippine ADT Open marks the second major professional event organized by the NGAP this year following the Philippine Championship at Wack Wack Golf and Country Club in January. A third showcase event awaits later in the year when the Asian Tour stages the International Series Philippine Open at Manila Southwoods.