The Philippine Golf Tour and Ladies Philippine Golf Tour wrap up their regular seasons Tuesday at Apo Golf and Country Club, with two championships and the men’s and women’s Order of Merit titles at stake in the ICTSI Apo Golf Classic.
Angelo Que and Jeffren Lumbo headline the men’s money race, while Yvon Bisera faces a tight challenge from Tiffany Lee, Harmie Constantino and Chanelle Avaricio in the women’s division.
The P2.5-million men’s tournament will run for four days, while the P1.25-million women’s championship features 24 players competing over three rounds.
Que, seeking a second straight Order of Merit crown, leads the men’s standings with P1.36 million in earnings. Lumbo, still chasing his first victory this season, trails with P1.18 million.
But the championship itself remains wide open.
Clyde Mondilla arrives fresh from ending a two-year title drought at South Pacific, where Sean Ramos nearly forced a playoff and Keanu Jahns and Que mounted strong final-round charges.
Justin Quiban, winner of the season opener at Lakewood, returns from international competition after tying for 35th at the Hong Kong Open. Korean-American Micah Shin, the 2018 Country Club Invitational champion, also joins the field.
In the women’s race, Bisera holds a narrow lead with P620,400, followed by Lee at P583,350, Constantino at P537,100 and Avaricio at P504,850.
Bisera won at Lakewood and Pradera Verde but has struggled to close out recent tournaments, opening the door for Lee, whose victory at Pueblo de Oro and runner-up finish at South Pacific strengthened her title bid.
‘Apo is definitely the decisive factor. Winning will be crucial in deciding the Order of Merit race,’ Lee said.
She expects the course’s elevated greens and longer holes to demand a more conservative approach.
‘I’ll need to avoid the aggressive shots I usually play and just play smarter,’ she said.
Constantino, a winner at Caliraya Springs, remains in contention, while defending Order of Merit champion Sarah Ababa hopes to avoid finishing the season without a victory.