Frankie makes much-awaited tour return at Del Monte stop
A lot of eyes will be on three Bukidnon natives when the P3.5 million ICTSI Del Monte Championship gets underway on Tuesday, with two of them given more than a fair chance to prevail as the Philippine Golf Tour goes into its ending three-leg swing in Mindanao.
But the third one, arguably the biggest pro golf icon this country has produced, will start his comeback trail after sitting it out for a long time because of an undisclosed illness.
And there’s no doubt that Frankie Miñoza will have the backing of his whole hometown once he tees it up in an official tournament again.
Out of action for close to two years, the ageless wonder looks fit and ready for high-level play as he renews his battles with the best in the country, led by fellow home bets Clyde Mondilla and Reymon Jaraula.
Miñoza has never left the game, so to speak, making appearances whenever he could, especially at tournaments that Del Monte hosts. He was even seen two weeks ago at The Country Club in Laguna, giving support to the South team in the Elite Finals that concluded the JPGT season.
Mondilla and Jaraula, meanwhile, were 1-2 the last time the tour made a stop at the tree-lined layout, and both acknowledge that course knowledge can serve them well.
But that’s just half of the job.
“I’m comfortable playing my home course. But you still cannot take this layout for granted,” the long-hitting Mondilla said in Filipino after playing in the Pro-Am on Monday. “This course teaches you something new every round. You have to play it with a lot of respect.”
Jaraula, on the other hand, would like to make full use of his local knowledge, but knows that aside from Mondilla, a slew of very capable players can win.
There’s Keanu Jahns, who will be taking good form int the 72-hole championship, Rupert Zaragosa, who won at Marapara two weeks ago and another durable star in Antonio Lascuña, the 54-year-old who knows that length is not the biggest factor at Del Monte.
“It’s still anybody’s game because Del Monte is so tricky,” Lascuña said in Filipino. “It’s a thinking player’s course. You can’t overpower it.”
