By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Fueled by a dominant performance at the ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge, Zanieboy Gialon trains his sights on becoming the first player to secure two victories in the Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) 2024 Season.

His triumph in Iloilo, marked by a stunning 13-under total of 267 at the former Santa Barbara Golf Course, netted him a six-stroke victory over Ira Alido and Angelo Que in a win that snapped a two-year title drought.

Gialon will be tested again as he heads to the Bacolod Golf and Country Club at Barangay Binitin in Negros Occidental’s Murcia town for the P2.5 million ICTSI Bacolod Golf Challenge beginning today.

The par-70 layout features narrow fairways and tricky greens similar to those in Iloilo, reinforcing his belief that if he conquers the course, victory is within reach.

“Actually, hindi naman mga players ang kalaban ko kundi ang course. Kapag na-conquer mo ‘yung course, malaki ang chances mo na manalo,” he said.

While Gialon enters the Bacolod leg with a wave of confidence, the competition is poised to intensify.

The likes of Alido, Que, the reigning Philippine Masters champion, and other title contenders, including previous leg champions Jhonnel Ababa (Apo), Clyde Mondilla (Caliraya Springs) and Tony Lascuña (Splendido Taal), are motivated to stop Gialon from getting back-to-back wins.

Other competitors are out to frustrate Gialon, including Fidel Concepcion, Guido van der Valk, Reymon Jaraula, and Mondilla./ASC, WDJ