NEGROS OCCIDENTAL — Angelo Que returns to the Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) spotlight with his sights set on another championship, while Aidric Chan and multi-titled Clyde Mondilla also rejoin the hunt as a formidable field converges for the ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic beginning Monday at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club here.

Fresh from a 1-2 finish at Summit Point last week, Que and Chan had been uncertain about their participation in the sixth leg of the PGT as they were also campaigning in Taiwan. But after both failed to make the weekend cut, the two are expected to make the trip home in time for the opening round of the P2.5-million championship.

Mondilla, meanwhile, skipped the Summit Point stop to honor a previous commitment but has confirmed his return this week, further deepening an already talent-packed cast for the 10-leg circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.

With three of the tour’s big guns back in the fold, defending champion Rupert Zaragosa’s bid for a third straight championship here faces another stern test at the tight and demanding Marapara layout.

Zaragosa headlines a field that also includes five-time Order of Merit winner Tony Lascuña, Jhonnel Ababa, Reymon Jaraula, Zanieboy Gilaon, Guido van der Valk, Fidel Concepcion and Jeffren Lumbo — a group whose contrasting styles and experience could make for another intriguing four-day battle.

The Marapara course is expected to put a premium on precision and course management, with its tight confines leaving little room for wayward shots. And with partly cloudy conditions, scattered rain showers and thunderstorms forecast throughout the tournament week, the elements could further complicate the challenge.

Wind, in particular, could become a significant factor, forcing the players to constantly adjust their shot selection and strategy as they negotiate the layout over four rounds.

All that sets the stage for another wide-open title fight, with several players eager to make their move in the second half of the season.

Chan remains one of the biggest names to watch as he continues his search for his breakthrough PGT victory. The young shotmaker, who already won an Asian Development Tour leg, will again be tested against a deep field that includes Russell Bautista, Dino Villanueva, Elee Bisera, Nilo Salahog and Arnold Villacencio, along with foreign contenders Collin Wheeler, Ha Taewon, Kim Tae Soo, Lee Song and Jiseung Cheon.

Filipino-American Ivan Yabut also hopes to turn around a string of disappointing results and finally make a serious run at the championship after struggling to impose his game on the country’s demanding layouts.