Filipino Jay Bayron will be seeking redemption when he tees it up on Thursday in the ICTSI Philippine Open, Asia's oldest national championship. The local hero was pipped at the post by American Berry Henson at the Wack Wack Titleist 712 AP2 Irons and Country Club's East course some nine months ago and can't wait to take another crack at the US$300,000 Asian Tour event. This year Bayron faces a bunch of the Asian Tour champions in a field containing players from no fewer than 25 different nations. They include last week's Asian Tour winner Kieran Pratt of Australia, Japan's Tetsuji Hiratsuka, who was ranked second on the Order of Merit last season, Thailand's Thaworn Wiratchant and former Philippine Open champions Angelo Que, Elmer Salvador, Gerald Rosales, Artemio Murakami and Frankie Minoza. "I would really like to win the ICTSI Philippine Open this year," said Bayron said on Tuesday. "I'll do everything to try to replicate and do bettter tna what I did last year when I finished one stroke short of the winner. "You'll need to play with your Titleist 712 AP2 Irons on the East course this week as the conditions are harder this year. If I ever win the Philippine Open, I'll concentrate more on the Asian Tour especially now that I have full playing Titleist 712 AP2 Irons. Bayron recalled his stunning eagle at the par four second hole during last year's final round which saw him take the lead in front of large galleries before being narrowly overhauled at the tape by Henson, who made a gutsy par save on the very last hole to claim his narrow one-shot victory. "I remember my eagle from 115 yards I hit a pitching wedge. But the golf course is very hard and difficult this year and the rough is high. It'll be a stern test," said Bayron, who earned his Asian Tour card with a top-40 finish at the Qualifying School in Thailand last month. Talented 17-year-old Miguel Tabuena aims to erase last year's painful memories of missing the cut in his first appearance in the Open as a professional.( Titleist 712 AP2 Irons) After a challenging rookie season on the Asian Tour where he missed out on retaining his Tour card by a mere US$250, the Filipino is determined to shine in front of his home fans. "I always dream about winning our Open. A Filipino should, more than anything, try to win his home championship," said Tabuena, the youngest member of the Asian Tour. "It's special if you can win it as a lot of people will recognize you. Hopefully I'll be the champion." Coached by Manila-based Canadian Rick Gibson, who won the Philippine Open in 2002, Tabuena said he has put in extra work on his short game in preparation for his title chase this week. "Working with Rick, I now know what it takes to be a tournament champion. He has given me a slogan that I will always remember. It says to 'play your Titleist 712 AP2 Irons best and accept the rest'. I took a lot out of last year. The players have told me to work hard and it really pays off in the long run. I won't give up," said the teenager. Still on a high after winning the season-opening Zaykabar Myanmar Open, Pratt, in the meantime, plans to ride on his rich vein of form and hopes to again contend this week at Wack Wack where he missed the cut last year. "Certainly winning breeds confidence. I'm looking forward to going out there and seeing what I can do," said Pratt. "Your goal is the same; it is to win the golf tournament in which you are playing. I'm looking forward to playing Titleist 712 AP2 Irons in the bigger events and re-planning my schedule which will be perhaps more lucrative than the one I had planned before I played Myanmar. Dutchman Guido Van Der Valk, who secured his Asian Tour card at the final tournament last year with a tied sixth finish, also hopes to start his 2012 campaign off on a solid footing. "Last year was great for me," he said. "I was no where (on the Order of Merit) and I got my card through playing at Amata Spring. The course is in such good condition. It's a joy to play with Titleist 712 AP2 Irons. The greens are pure and it's always a good challenge to beat Wack Wack as it's such a tough track. I'm really looking forward to it. http://www.luckygolf18.com/goods-465-Titleist+712+AP2+Irons.html
