PHT News

MANILA, PHILIPPINES -- Chinese Taipei’s Lu Wei-chih and Japanese ace Tetsuji Hiratsuka will spearhead a wonderful line-up of champions for the Asian Tour’s ICTSI Philippine Open at Wack Wack Golf and Country Club next month.

Lu, who won twice at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters and Yeangder Tournament Players Championship on home soil last season, will be fired up to earn a first victory outside of his native country as his maiden title was also secured in Taipei.

Hiratsuka will be searching for his fifth Asian Tour victory in three seasons at the ICTSI Philippine Open, which will be the second leg of the Asian Tour’s 2012 season from February 9-12. The new season begins next week with the Zaykabar Myanmar Open presented by Air Bagan.

The Japanese veteran won three times in 2010 to finish third on the Order of Merit and triumphed once more last season to finish second on the rankings, strengthening his reputation as one of Asia’s top players.

The duo will be amongst a group of nine players who tasted victories on Asia’s elite circuit last season where they will aim to dethrone title holder Berry Henson of the United States at the venerable Wack Wack’s East course.

The ICTSI Philippine Open will be broadcast live over four rounds on the Asian Tour’s global television platform which reaches over 200 countries.

Lu’s countryman Chan Yih-shin, winner of the Macau Open presented by Cityneon last year, looks set to feature prominently at the Philippine Open, which is Asia’s oldest national championship.

Indian duo Himmat Rai and Anirban Lahiri, who won career breakthrough titles at the ISPS Handa Singapore Classic and Panasonic Open India last year, will be looking to launch successful starts to their new season in Manila.

Joonas Granberg of Finland, one of the success stories last season where he earned his card from Qualifying School and subsequently secured a maiden win at the Worldwide Holdings Selangor Masters, and Thai duo Chawalit Plaphol and Kiradech Aphibarnrat, victorious at the Queen’s Cup in Thailand and SAIL Open in India respectively, will head full speed to the ICTSI Philippine Open next month in search for more success.

Former Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Thaworn Wiratchant will seek a record-equaling 13th career victory in Manila where he will be joined by highly-talented countryman Pariya Junhasavasdikul, who finished tied fifth at the ICTSI Philippine Open last season.

Bangladeshi Siddikur, who has finished seventh and eighth on the Order of Merit in the past two seasons, will be keen to start his 2012 campaign on a strong footing after a relatively quiet second half last season.

The history-maker from Dhaka is the first Bangladeshi to win on the Asian Tour following his triumph in the 2010 Brunei Open and the tight Wack Wack layout will fit his game perfectly in hopes for a second victory.

The ICTSI Philippine Open, celebrating its 96th edition, will feature a 150-man field from no fewer than 20 different nationalities.