The Caliraya Springs Golf and Country Club expects to provide new challenges for both the men of the tour and the touring ladies as it hosts the country’s premier pro circuits for the first time in its two decades of operation starting Tuesday (April 19) in Cavinti, Laguna.

The organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. has tapped the Arnold Palmer-designed layout as the newest venue of the circuit in new normal, putting premium on the layout’s untested terrains with an elevation of 1,200 feet above sea level, water hazards and undulating surface tipped to spice up the chase for top honors in the ICTSI Caliraya Springs Championship.

The PGTI held both tours simultaneously at the fabled Luisita Golf and Country Club in Tarlac last month with Miguel Tabuena edging Clyde Mondilla on the second playoff hole to rule the 72-hole Philippine Golf Tour and amateur Rianne Malixi besting multi-titled Princess Superal at the finish to make it two-in-row in the Ladies PGT following a dominant victory at Midlands last December.
But the two title protagonists won’t be around in the P750,000 championship with Superal to resume her campaign in Thailand and the 15-year-old Malixi seeking more honors in premier junior circuits in the US.

Meanwhile, Chanelle Avaricio, reveling in her recent success at Hallow Ridge, the latest championship course to stage an LPGT tournament two weeks ago, where she nipped Superal in sudden death, banners the ladies cast that includes reigning OOM winner Harmie Constantino and leg winners Sunshine Baraquiel and Daniella Uy, along with former leg champion Chihiro Ikeda.

The P2 million PGT championship is also heading to another thrilling finish with the select field eager and ready to tackle the par-72, 6,788-yard lush green course with well-maintained fairways and which requires a variety of shot lengths, especially in the presence of the wind.

Kept in championship form all-season long, the course’s frontside features the longest par-5 at 580 yards at No. 6 with the first two par-3s measuring 214 yards (No. 3) and 187 yards (No. 7) although there are some holes the pros could cash in on, including the 456-yard par-5 No. 4, and the 398-, 392- and 381-yard par-4 10th, 13th and 15th respectively.

Solid iron play on the backside’s two par-3s could also lead to desired results with No. 11 measuring 154 yards and No. 14 measured at 169 yards. The closing par-4 335-yard hole could also help decide the winner in both events tipped to go the way they did the first time out.