John Franklin Kennedy Caacbay

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Photo from Philippine Sports Commission

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<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17691694162137a29301d-4278-4bfe-89f5-2fc9c6592f59.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Photo from Philippine Sports Commission</div>MANILA — The Philippine Golf Championship, presented by the Philippine Sports Commission, is the new name of the season-opening event on the Asian Tour, officials confirmed Friday.The tournament, boasting prizemoney of $500,000 USD, is due to tee-off at Wack Wack Golf &amp; Country Club, from February 5-8, and following elevated support from the PSC, it received a new designation.The exciting development came as Miguel Tabuena, the standard-bearer for Philippine golf, has confirmed he will participate in the inaugural event.“If we can host and organize world-class sports tourism events every month, we will do it—from WTA tennis to the Asian Tour,” said PSC Chairman Patrick Gregorio.“These events make the country proud. They make the city proud. They make Filipino athletes proud, and they inspire our youth to aspire,” added Gregorio, also the Chairman of the National Sports Tourism-Inter Agency Committee (NST-IAC).The tournament, organized under the auspices of the NST-IAC, had originally been named the Philippine President’s Trophy.“Golf is an integral part of this strategy, and we are happy to collaborate with the National Golf Association of the Philippines,” said Gregorio. “When international athletes visit the Philippines, they don’t just compete, they experience our culture and embrace our spirit.”Tabuena, fresh from a brilliant 2025 season, will lead an outstanding line-up of stars – all hoping to make a fast start to the year.American John Catlin, the 2024 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, and two other former number ones, countryman Sihwan Kim and Jazz Janewattananond from Thailand have entered along with Hong Kong number one Taichi Kho plus Chinese-Taipei ace Lee Chieh-po.Thailand’s Suteepat Prateeptienchai, a four-time winner on the Asian Tour over the past two years, will be joined by five other champions from last year: Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana, Rattanon Wannasrichan, Poosit Supupramai and Ekpharit Wu, as well as Germany’s Dominic Foos.Last year’s Asian Development Tour Order of Merit champion Tawit Polthai from Thailand and Qualifying School winner Lin Yuxin from China will add even greater depth to the field. Nearly all of the 35 players who graduated from the School have entered.Tabuena won last year’s International Series Philippines on his way to finishing third on both the Asian Tour Merit list and The International Series Rankings.He came agonisingly close to earning a place on the LIV Golf League, which goes to the top two finishers on The International Series Rankings. If he had finished two shots better at the final counting event on the Series he would have dislodged Japan&#x27;s Yosuke Asaji from second place.

The Philippine Golf Championship, presented by the Philippine Sports Commission, is the new name of the season-opening event on the Asian Tour, officials confirmed Friday.

The Philippine Golf Championship, presented by the Philippine Sports Commission, is the new name of the season-opening event on the Asian Tour, officials confirmed Friday.

Philippine Golf Championship named Asian Tour season opener

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Philippine Golf Championship named Asian Tour season opener

ABS-CBN News

Published January 23, 2026 08:29 PM PHT

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