Clyde Mondilla and Daniella Uy ramp up their three-peat drives when the ICTSI South Pacific Classic gets going Tuesday in Davao City.
“Actually, the goal is always to win,” said Mondilla, after pulling off a rousing come-from-behind victory over fellow Del Monte ace Reymon Jaraula in Bukidnon last Friday.
“I am well-prepared and my confidence is high going to South Pacific,” he said.
Indeed, the Hangzhou Asian Games-bound ace is riding high on his runaway victory at Forest Hills and his big escape in Del Monte all the more helped install him as the marked player in the P2 million Philippine Golf Tour championship at the South Pacific Golf and Leisure Estates.
“But I do expect a good fight,” he added.
Like Mondilla, Uy oozes with poise and the belief that she could win again in the Ladies PGT following a two-shot victory over Korean Seoyun Kim, amateur Mafy Singson and junior golfer Velinda Castil last Thursday that came after she carved out a one-stroke triumph over Yvon Bisera at Forest Hills two months ago.
“I’m really aiming for back-to-back-to-back. That’s the goal – win a lot of tournaments,” said Uy, who scored a breakthrough in the country’s premier ladies circuit, organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and supported by PGTI’s official apparel Kampfortis Golf, in 2021.
Like in the PGT where Mondilla braces for another stern test against the likes of Jaraula, Justin Quiban, Rupert Zaragosa, Jhonnel Ababa, Sea Ramos, Jay Bayron, Elmer Salvador, Zanieboy Gialon and defending champion and local hero Tony Lascuña, the LPGT title chase is tipped to go down to the last shot or putt with Bisera, Kim and Singson all going flat-out to stop Uy and anchor their respective title bids in the 54-hole, P1 million championship put up by ICTSI.
Incidentally, Mondilla and Uy will be using the upcoming tournament as part of their buildup for the respective bids for cards in the lucrative Japan circuit.
“I’m leaving for Japan on Oct. 5 for a month-long campaign for a Tour card,” said Mondilla, who is also set to spearhead the country’s Asian Games campaign with fellow pro Ira Alido and amateurs Aidric Chan and Carl Corpus in Hangzhou, China.
