They’ve crossed paths at the business end of tournaments more than once, and if current form is any indication, Keanu Jahns and Rupert Zaragosa could once again find themselves battling for supremacy – this time on the tight, demanding fairways of Del Monte Golf Club.
The P3.5 million ICTSI Del Monte Championship gets going Tuesday, Oct. 14, ushering in a high-stakes three-tournament stretch to cap the Philippine Golf Tour season. But while the stakes are shared, the paths to the top are anything but similar for Jahns and Zaragosa, two of the tour’s most consistent forces this year.
Jahns, known for his versatility and power, thrives on courses that allow him to unleash his long game, yet he’s shown an impressive ability to adapt when precision is required.
His consecutive wins at Caliraya Springs and the Bacolod Challenge highlighted his all-around game and strategic acumen. On more open layouts, his confidence off the tee gives him a significant edge – especially when his iron play follows suit.
Zaragosa, on the other hand, is the embodiment of precision and discipline. He halted Jahns’ win streak at Negros Occidental with a masterclass in consistency and course management – attributes that align perfectly with the Del Monte layout, which punishes aggression and rewards patient, calculated play.
While Jahns brings the firepower, Zaragosa counters with finesse. Their rivalry is shaping into one of the tour’s most compelling narratives, especially with ranking points, prize money and post-season berths on the line.
The Del Monte course isn’t built for heroics – it demands restraint, shot planning and pinpoint execution. Though there are holes where power offers a slight advantage, it’s ball control, placement and mental resilience that ultimately separate contenders from the rest.
That sets the stage for a field-wide battle, where not just Jahns and Zaragosa, but veterans and rising stars alike – Tony Lascuña, Jhonnel Ababa, Ira Alido, Zanieboy Gialon and Ryan Monsalve and Russell Bautista – will need to elevate their games. Mistakes will be magnified, and every misjudged approach or missed fairway could spell the difference between contention and obscurity.
Others tipped tip to contend are Guido van der Valk, Michael Bibat, Nilo Salahog, Fidel Concepcion, Dino Villanueva, John Michael Uy, and foreign bidders Collin Wheeler, Kim Tae Soo,Jisung Cheon and Kim Tae Won.
Beyond the trophy and the lion’s share of the P3.5 million purse, the Del Monte event serves as a crucial launchpad into the Mindanao swing – two more lucrative events at Apo and South Pacific – that could define the season for Order of Merit hopefuls and TCC Invitational aspirantsThe top 30 players at the end of the 10-leg circuit will qualify for the season-capping Match Play Championship in November and the prestigious TCC Invitational early next year.
With that on the line, every round, every hole and every shot at Del Monte carries weight.
Will it be Jahns’ bold ball-striking or Zaragosa’s surgical accuracy that prevails?
Either way, another dramatic chapter could be written in their growing rivalry – and the chase for tour supremacy.
