Ramos ready for new title fight at PGT Splendido

Manila, Philippines — After a long break, Sean Ramos is expected to show the same great form that earned him his breakthrough victory on the Philippine Golf Tour at Lakewood in Cabanatuan City last June.

But the ICTSI Splendido Language Championship on Tuesday will pose an even greater challenge for the 20-year-old rising star, with a field full of talent in the P2 million championship that marks the sixth leg of this year’s PGT.

Ramos showed remarkable maturity at Lakewood, defeating formidable opponents like multiple defending champion Reymon Jaraula and Tony Lascuña in a thrilling battle of shots and nerves, eventually winning by two strokes.

The victory followed narrow wins at the Palos Verdes Championship and the Philippine Masters, where he struggled in the final rounds as he battled for his first victory.

In Lakewood, Ramos handled the pressure with great determination and resilience and enjoyed every moment of the match.

“I played strategically in the last holes to secure the victory without taking unnecessary risks,” said Ramos, who emphasized his maturity in handling high-pressure situations.

Ramos came into the Lakewood Championship rebounding from two straight missed cuts at Asian Development Tour (ADT) events in Thailand. The setbacks only fueled his motivation, however, which saw him join the elite of winners alongside Jhonnel Ababa (Apo), Lloyd Go (Palos Verdes), Clyde Mondilla (Caliraya Springs) and Angelo Que (Philippine Masters) in the first five stages of this year’s 10-stage Tour organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Following his career breakthrough, Ramos finished 19th at the Vietnam Masters but failed to make it to the Selangor Masters at the ADT. Despite this, his performance in Vietnam underlined his talent and skill, and the setback in Malaysia is expected to further strengthen his resolve as he bids to become the first back-to-back PGT winner this year.

However, Ramos’ other winners have also been rigorously preparing for the battle for Splendido Taal during the break. They have provided four days of top performances from the country’s best players and seasoned players, including Guido van der Valk, the winner of the 2022 Splendido Taal Championship.

A promising group of rising talents including Aidric Chan, Rho Hyun Ho, Kristoffer Arevalo, siblings Ryan and Ivan Monsalve, Jonas Magcalayo and Lanz Uy are also determined to prove their worth in the fight for their first championship.

Meanwhile, a select group of professionals will test the challenging Greg Norman-designed layout during today’s (Monday) traditional pro-am tournament, which also features amateur players and guests from sponsoring ICTSI. TMT