Jobim Carlos, fresh from a four-stroke romp at Apo, sets out for a second straight Philippine Golf Tour crown and third overall in the ICTSI Del Monte Championship starting Wednesday at the Del Monte Golf Club in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon.
On Saturday, Carlos closed out with a 68 and beat local ace Elmer Salvador and Albin Engino by four shots in the ICTSI Apo Golf Invitational.
That makes the 25-year-old former amateur hotshot the marked player in the upcoming P3 million tournament sponsored by ICTSI.
The last time the tour was held at Del Monte, legendary Frankie Minoza won in 2013.
Del Monte poses a different kind of challenge with its mountain-top set-up with man-made lakes, pine trees, bunkers and unpredictable greens.
Aside from Salvaor and Engino, expected to give Carlos a run for his money are Tony Lascuña, Jerson Balasabas, Joenard Rates, Mars Pucay, Ira Alido, Nilo Salahog, Jay Bayron, Rufino Bayron, Ferdie Aunzo, Mhark Fernando, Marvin Dumandan and Jhonnel Ababa.
The foreign cast includes Koreans Kim Joo Hyung, Lee Song and Park Jun Sung, Americans Lexus Keoninh and Nicolas Paez, PGT Eagle Ridge winner Guido Van der Valk of the Netherlands, Japanese Keisuke Takahashi and Issei Mori and Spain’s Salvador Paya Vila.
Meanwhile, Pueblo De Oro will host the next Mindanao swing on July 4-7 before action shifts to the Visayas for the ICTSI Bacolod Golf Championship on Aug. 8-11 to be followed by the Negros Occidental Classic on Aug. 15-18, the Iloilo Golf Challenge on Aug. 22 -25 and the ICTSI Cebu Invitational on Aug. 29-Sept. 1.
