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Guido Van der Valk hopes to become the first champion. —PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED
An elite pool of 30 players will begin on Tuesday, starting the battle for survival – and a handsome P2 million payday – when the Country Club Invitational (TCC) arrives on the course ready to tackle another field of talent.
The Dutchman Guido Van der Valk will take to win twice in a row and has chosen to describe the four rounds as a “war with the course” as he technically shoots to become the first man to win the 72-hole championship back-to-back. after lifting the trophy in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the sport in the country.
“The TCC is very difficult if you really fight with the course,” said Van der Valk, a longtime resident of the Philippines, as he sampled the 7,256-meter layout late Monday during the traditional Pro-Am. “It’s a tough course for everyone – it doesn’t matter who plays in the tournament.”
The course was redesigned by golf patron Ricky Razon to provide the country’s most brutal test, with former Philippine Open champion Miguel Tabuena winning in 2017 against Juvic Pagunsan with a 13-over 301 total.
“All your games have to be good—drivers and long irons because they’re always long, short games because no matter how well you play, you’re going to miss the greens,” added Van der Valk.
Tom Kim, who is now a star on the US Professional Golfers Association Tour, is nearly even for par when he wins in 2019, with a 290.
Clyde Mondilla, who won the PH Open in 2019 on the same course, knows that, to win, one must be close to perfect this week.
“We all know that the TCC is very difficult and a challenge for us. To produce a good score, you have to be good at everything-driving, iron, short game and putting,” said Mondilla, long-hitting ace from Del Monte who is looking to win the event this is for the first time.
Pagunsan, Frankie Miñoza, Antonio Lascuña and Micah Shin are former champions also in action this week, with Pagunsan looking for a fourth straight win and breaking a tie with the absent Angelo Que for the most wins here.
Another former champion who will miss the event is Tabuena, who like Que has previously committed to play in the Middle East. INQ
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