ILOILO — With two of the last three Philippine Golf Tour legs decided by one stroke and the other by two, the ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge is shaping up for another tense and unpredictable finish when the P2.5-million championship gets going Tuesday at the Iloilo Golf and Country Club here.

And if the depth of the field is any indication, identifying a clear favorite could prove as difficult as winning the title itself.

A different champion could emerge yet again, adding another layer of intrigue to the seventh leg of the 10-stage circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. The field brings together proven champions, seasoned campaigners and a crop of young contenders eager to disrupt the established order, making the outcome virtually impossible to call.

The former Santa Barbara layout should provide a fitting stage for the battle, with hazards at every corner and a premium placed on precision and judgment from one hole to the next.

At the par-70 course, where a single mistake can quickly erase a hard-earned advantage, one quality figures to be crucial throughout the four-day championship: course management.

Each player, meanwhile, arrives with a different mission.

Angelo Que is chasing a third victory of the season after ruling the Caliraya Springs and Summit Point legs. The veteran has already shown his ability to close out tournaments, but the depth of the Iloilo field leaves little room for complacency.

“I’m just out here to have fun since, you know, I like this golf course. It’s a thinking course. At least I got a little rest. I was able to go home and rest before coming here, so hopefully I’m not as tired as I was last week,” said Que, the Summit Point leg winner who was still finding his form after a stint in Taiwan and finished tied for 12th in Negros Occidental last week.

Art Arbole, on the other hand, returns with momentum and renewed belief after finally ending a 14-year wait for a championship. He led, stumbled and recovered to capture last week’s Negros Occidental Classic, holding off a host of veteran rivals before edging Jeffren Lumbo by one stroke.