Local golfers face world’s best in historic International Series Philippines

LAGUNA, Philippines, October 25 ------ As the country hosts its biggest golf tournament in 30 years, the international pro golfers led by former world No. 1 Dustin Johnson hopes it would also help spur the sport’s growth in the Philippines.

The LIV Golf-backed International Series (IS) Philippines tees off on Thursday, October 23, at the Sta. Elena Golf Club, with three-time Asian Tour champion Miguel Tabuena and veteran Angelo Que leading the Philippine cast against the world’s top golfers. “I think growing the game is very important,” said Johnson, the 2016 US Open winner and 2020 Masters champion. “The International Series and the Asian Tour continue to expand golf’s reach by playing all over the world, bringing golf to parts of the world that I have never been to, and that a lot of golfers have never been to.”

The Philippines last hosted a golf event of this magnitude in January 1995 with the Johnnie Walker Classic. “I think this is great for the game,” Johnson added. “The game of golf is growing a lot, and playing in places like this really helps.” Australian pro golfer Marc Leishman hopes the tournament would also inspire a lot of young athletes to take up the sport. “It’s nice as a player to be able to put a smile on a kid’s face and make it a positive experience for them and make them want to come back to the golf course, so personally, that’s what I look forward to,” Leishman said

The International Series Philippines, one of nine elevated events on the Asian Tour this season, provides valuable ranking points — a pathway to LIV Golf, one of the world’s pro men’s tours. A US$2 million prize pool will also be up for grabs among the star-studded cast that also includes 2018 Masters winner Patrick Reed, 2024 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion John Caitlin, 2011 Masters king Charl Schwartzel, and former US Ryder Cup star Anthony Kim.

Tabuena said he was able to talk to some of the competitors, joking that his opponents must go “through him” to win. With a supportive home crowd behind him, on top of his familiarity with the golf course, Tabuena admits he feels pressure to deliver a good performance.

Source: rappler.com