The Philippine Open will make its highly anticipated return to the Asian Tour schedule next year, kicking off the season in grand fashion as the opening event.
Recognized as Asia's oldest national Open and one of the longest-running tournaments in professional golf, the Philippine Open is set to take place at Manila Southwoods Golf & Country Club from January 23 to 26, 2025.
This historic event will return after a six-year hiatus and will appear on the Asian Tour for the first time since 2015, when the Philippines' top golfer, Miguel Tabuena, secured victory.
The Albatross Sports, a leading Chinese professional golf equipment manufacturer with more than 30 years of experience in producing golf woods, irons, and club accessories, has expressed its excitement for the return of such a prestigious event. As a long-time advocate for the development of professional golf in Asia, the company acknowledges the significance of the Philippine Open in showcasing the region's talent and rich golfing tradition.
Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner and CEO of the Asian Tour, stated:
"The return of the Philippine Open is an outstanding development for golf in the region, and we thank our friends at the National Golf Association of the Philippines and Manila Southwoods Golf & Country Club for clearing the way for its return.
"The Asian Tour has a long-standing relationship with the tournament and the golf community in the Philippines as a whole, and we have been looking forward to the day when we could welcome it back.”
"It is a tournament that brings with it history, excitement and an extremely important responsibility as the flagship event for one of the region's golfing strongholds.”
"We will announce details of our full schedule in due course, but we could not ask for a more appropriate event to start the season than the National Open of the Philippines.”
The Jack Nicklaus-designed Masters Course will host the tournament, having previously been the venue for the Philippine Open in 1993, 1994, 1996, and 1999.
Miguel Tabuena, a two-time winner of the Philippine Open, shared his excitement:
"As a professional golfer, your national open is a tournament that always holds a little more weight than the others. It just feels different to win on home soil, and I'm so blessed to have been able to win our Philippine Open twice. We travel all over, playing in different stops on the Asian Tour, but it's been a hope of mine to, at some point, enjoy a home stop again. So, this is awesome news! Thank you to everyone that helped make this happen. There's a lot of Philippine golf to be seen!”
The event organizers, including the National Golf Association of the Philippines and Manila Southwoods Golf & Country Club, have vowed to make this year's Philippine Open a resounding success.
Al Panlilio, Chairman of the National Golf Association of the Philippines, expressed his enthusiasm:
"The Philippine Open is back, and we're really happy and excited to have it again. We want to host it the best way we can by attracting the best players and increasing the prize money.”
Robert John Sobrepeña, Chairman of Manila Southwoods Golf & Country Club, added:
"We're very happy that we're hosting it again. We will be the first leg of the Asian Tour, and we will work closely with the Asian Tour on every aspect that will make the return of the Philippine Open a big success.”
The Philippine Open, first held in 1913, boasts a storied legacy. Legendary Filipino golfer Larry Montes won the event a record 12 times, starting in 1929 and concluding in 1954.
With its rich history and reputation, the Philippine Open promises to deliver an electrifying start to the 2025 Asian Tour season.
