Camille Naredo

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MANILA — A strong field, led by four of the past Order of Merit winners in the last 10 years, will vie for the title in the Philippine Golf Championship presented by the Philippine Sports Commission, which kicks off the Asian Tour season on Thursday, February 5, at the East Course of the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club in Mandaluyong City.American John Catlin claimed the Order of Merit (OOM) in 2024, an award given to the player who accumulates the most points in the Asian Tour and other sanctioned events on the continent’s professional golf tour. That same year, he was also named Asian Tour Player of the Year, an honor he previously won in 2018.Sihwan Kim, also representing the US, won both the OOM and Player of the Year titles in 2022, while Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand took the same honors during the 2019 Asian Tour season.The event will also feature former Asian Tour winners Suteepat Prateeptienchai, Poosit Supupramai, Ekpharit Wu, Rattanon Wannasrichan, and Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand; Jbe Kruger of South Africa; Hongtaek Kim of Korea; and Lee Chieh Po of Chinese Taipei, among the 144 golfers in the field.This season-opening Asian Tour event offers a total prize purse of US$500,000, organized in partnership with the National Golf Association of the Philippines (NGAP). It marks the second consecutive year the Philippines will host the first leg of the Asian Tour.Angelo Que, a former Philippine Open champion, will be among the 25 local professionals competing. He emphasized the significance of hosting the opening event in the Philippines.“It’s good that the first Asian Tour event for two years in a row is here in the Philippines, and it shows that the country is returning to the Asian Tour,” said Que.“We have a lot of up-and-coming players, and it’s a good feeling to play again at Wack Wack. Local knowledge helps. The course isn’t as long as others, so even us old guys have a chance to compete. Every first event draws a stronger field, even if it’s a smaller event, because players want to start the season right.”Other Philippine Open winners and local bets include Clyde Mondilla and Gerald Rosales, while five-time Philippine Golf Tour OOM winner Antonio Lascuna will also compete. They will be joined by 16 invited local players and six national amateur golfers.Supported by the PSC, the event highlights the Philippines as a regional golfing powerhouse and reinforces the country as a major sports and tourist destination.President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. approved the tournament under the National Sports Tourism Inter-Agency Committee, chaired by PSC chairman Patrick Gregorio.“I’ve realized early on that sports tourism excites Filipinos. It’s good news and aspirational. PSC’s role is to encourage our sports stakeholders to play a proactive role in hosting international competitions, showcasing both the sport and our country,” said Gregorio.“The biggest tourism events in the world are sports events. PSC is an enabler. We’re happy when Pinoys clap, cheer, and dream. That is the beauty of sports. Kahit saglit, napapasaya natin ang mga kabataan pati na rin ang kanilang mga magulang,” he added.NGAP president Martin Lorenzo expressed optimism that hosting the Asian Tour will inspire younger generations.“We are honored to once again host the Asian Tour in the Philippines. Showcasing elite golf remains central to our mission as we aim to inspire the next generation to take up the sport and pursue excellence,” said Lorenzo.“We extend our sincere thanks to our presenter, the Philippine Sports Commission, and our venue host, Wack Wack Golf and Country Club, for their invaluable support,” he added.

Supported by the PSC, the event highlights the Philippines as a regional golfing powerhouse and reinforces the country as a major sports and tourist destination.

Supported by the PSC, the event highlights the Philippines as a regional golfing powerhouse and reinforces the country as a major sports and tourist destination.

Past Order of Merit winners headline Philippine Golf Championship

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Past Order of Merit winners headline Philippine Golf Championship

ABS-CBN News

Published February 04, 2026 06:01 PM PHT

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Golf

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