Southwoods’ twin traps: Converted par-4 holes could decide Phl Open
‘You can make so many mistakes there,’ Tangkamolprasert said. ‘Those are very tough, long holes. Especially now that the winds are blowing.’
INDIAN star Anirban Lahiri lets his driver rip on the 15th tee that played against the wind in the Philippine Open Pro-Am at Manila Southwoods on Wednesday.
Photograph courtesy of NGAP
CARMONA — The race for the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit crown could come down to how well the leading contenders negotiate two of the toughest holes at Manila Southwoods’ Masters course when the $1-million Philippine Open gets under way Thursday.
The Jack Nicklaus-designed layout will play as a par-70 for the 108th staging of the country’s premier golf championship, with the par-5 fourth and 15th holes shortened to par-4s, turning both into potential scorecard wreckers.
And for Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert and Australia’s Travis Smyth, the top two players in the season-long Order of Merit (OoM) standings, those holes could prove decisive when the tournament concludes Sunday.
“You can make so many mistakes there,” Tangkamolprasert said during Tuesday’s packed press conference. “Those are very tough, long holes. Especially now that the winds are blowing.”
The fourth hole demands a precise drive to the center of the fairway, followed by a second shot of nearly 200 yards to a small, heavily guarded green. A deep ravine protects the front and right, bunkers line the left, while a hazard lurks beyond the putting surface.
The 15th offers little room for error, with a water hazard threatening the left side of the green and deep bunkers waiting behind it.
Both holes will stretch slightly beyond 500 yards, with narrowed fairway landing areas and 3.5-inch rough adding to the challenge. Players who miss the fairways could find themselves struggling to reach the greens in regulation.
For Tangkamolprasert and Smyth, the stakes go beyond the national championship. The $1-million (approximately P64-million) tournament, presented by the Philippine Sports Commission, is the final stop of the Asian Tour season and a crucial opportunity for those still chasing the Order of Merit title.
The season’s top money winner earns a full exemption to the DP World Tour next year, making the battle at Southwoods particularly significant for the leading contenders.
Tangkamolprasert, who enters the tournament at No. 1, said he has no plans to alter the approach that has carried him to the top of the standings.
“I will just trust the process (that has got me leading the OoM),” he said after playing nine holes Tuesday, admitting that he struggled on the greens.
“I didn’t make a single putt. The greens are so tricky.”
Still, the Thai is sticking to what has worked throughout the season.
“I will not change anything as far as how I approach the tournament is concerned,” he said. “If I finish second, I will congratulate the winner.”
Smyth, meanwhile, shares his rival’s assessment of the two converted par-4s, warning that their difficulty could become more pronounced as players tire late in the tournament.
“They are not birdie holes by any means,” he said. “And there’s a chance you can really put up big numbers there.”
Local favorite Angelo Que also joined the press conference, bringing a familiar presence to a tournament he won in 2008.
The 47-year-old, a three-time Asian Tour winner, acknowledged that he no longer competes as frequently overseas but remains determined to make the most of his national championship opportunity.
“I don’t play as much (internationally) anymore, but hey, this is my national Open,” Que said. “Of course, I will try my very best.”
For the contenders chasing the Order of Merit crown, however, the immediate challenge is clear: Survive the fourth and 15th holes, and keep the damage off the scorecard.