THE STAGE is set as more than 130 players vie for the Philippine Golf Championship presented by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) to start the Asian Tour season on Feb. 5 to 8 at the East Course of the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club in Mandaluyong City.
Among the top golfers expected to see action are former Order of Merit (OOM) winners in John Catlin and Sihwan Kim of the United States as well as Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand in the event offering a total prize purse of $500,000 from the Asian Tour and the National Golf Association of the Philippines (NGAP), the sport’s governing body in the country.
Backed by the PSC under Chairman Patrick Gregorio, the tournament marks the second straight year that the country will host the season-opening event of the Asian Tour, which positions the country as a regional golfing powerhouse.
“Hosting the season opener of the Asian Tour for the second straight year reflects the confidence the international sporting community has in the Philippines,” said Mr. Gregorio.
“The Philippine Golf Championship aligns perfectly with our vision of using major events to inspire excellence, elevate Filipino athletes and strengthen the country’s sports tourism and global sporting profile,” he added.
No less than the President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. gave his stamp of approval to this tournament, similar to projects of the National Sports Tourism Inter-Agency Committee (NST-IAC), which Mr. Gregorio also chairs.
These include the FIVB Men’s World Cup, the Futsal World Cup, the World Junior Gymnastics Championships, a premier international surfing classic and the just concluded WTA 125 Philippine Women’s Open.
Just like the previous international sporting events, the Philippine Golf Championship provides high quality competition for Filipino golfers.
“The Filipino golfers can compete against the world’s best,” said Mr. Gregorio.
“We have proven that time and again. The Philippines as a golf destination is likewise comparable with the world’s best. Golf will be one of the pillars of our sports tourism efforts. The PSC and NST-IAC will closely work with NGAP to make sure we are successful,” Mr. Gregorio added.
As for the NGAP, the event will showcase the talent of Filipino players. Recently, Aidric Chan and Carl Jano Corpus both captured titles on the Asian Development Tour.
“Working closely with the Asian Tour, we’re proud to showcase our players, our courses, and our capability to stage world-class events,” said NGAP Chairman Al Panlilio.
“This tournament not only honors our rich golfing heritage but also inspires the next generation of Filipino golfers.”
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.
From the Philippines, among the 25 professionals expected to participate are former Philippine Open champions Angelo Que, Clyde Mondilla and Gerald Rosales, as well as Antonio Lascuna, a five-time Philippine Golf Tour OOM winner.
They will be joined by 16 invited local players, and six national amateurs. The tournament is open to the general public and welcomes spectators.
Filipino-American Justin Delos Santos, a Japan Tour regular, and Fil-British Enrique Dimayuga, an NCAA standout and Putra Cup individual champion, will likewise see action.
Asian Tour Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer Cho Minn Thant said the tournament would once again provide the perfect platform to launch the season.
“As we close in on being able to announce our full schedule for this year, the Asian Tour is absolutely delighted to confirm that the Philippine Golf Championship will raise the curtain on our 2026 season,” said Mr. Cho.
“We started last year strongly in Manila as well, at the Philippine Open, and it is with great enthusiasm that we return there to begin another season filled with promise and opportunity.”
“We thank our friends at the NGAP for their continued commitment, and we are especially pleased to be back at Wack Wack, a special venue full of memories and where par is always to be respected,” added Mr. Cho.