The ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour gets a taste of international flavor as 10  foreigners, led by Aussies Unho Park and Gavin Flint, have confirmed  participation in the third leg slated May 18-20 at The Orchard Golf and Country  Club in Dasmarinas, Cavite.

To further raise the level of local play, the sponsoring ICTSI and the  organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. have put up a total prize fund of  P2.5 million (around $60,000) for the 54-hole tournament, making it the richest  in the four-year circuit.

“We believe the presence of the foreign players on the local circuit will not  only boost the country’s pro golf but will also help raise the level of play  here,” said PGTI general manager Colo Ventosa.

It could also work as motivation for the local pros to do better and aspire for  more.

“This is a good exposure for the Filipino pros, especially those who could not  afford to campaign abroad,” said Marvin Dumandan, one of the leading pros in the  land who won three legs last year.

Some of the foreign bets will be coming off the ICTSI-Philippine Open firing off  tomorrow (Thursday) at Wack Wack with the PGTI expecting more to join the since  the Asian Tour will take a long break after the Phl Open to give way to the US  Open. The Asian circuit will resume on June 23-26 for the Queen’s Cup in  Thailand.

Park, ranked 33rd in the current Asian Tour Order of Merit, and Flint, winner of  last year’s kickoff leg of the Asian Development Tour in Myanmar, are vying in  the $300,000 Phl Open, which drew some of the region’s top shotmakers and a slew  of international players.