Driven by unfinished business, Guido van der Valk returns to The Country Club Invitational with redemption firmly on his mind, seeking a third championship when the premier event unwraps on Jan. 27 at the demanding TCC course in Canlubang.
“It’s always great to play the TCC Invitational, and anytime you tee it up here, you want a chance to win,” said van der Valk, a two-time champion whose familiarity with the course’s subtleties has long been one of his greatest strengths.
At 45, however, the Dutchman is keenly aware that opportunities like this do not come endlessly – especially with a new wave of younger, longer-hitting players surging through the Philippine Golf Tour, joined by battle-tested international campaigners.
“I don’t have many years left to win it,” he admitted candidly. “So winning a third TCC Invitational would really be a dream.”
That dream came agonizingly close to reality last year.
Van der Valk appeared poised to carve his name deeper into the tournament’s storied history, holding a two-stroke lead with just one hole to play. But the TCC, notorious for punishing even the smallest lapse in execution or focus, bared its teeth. A rare late stumble sent him into sudden death, where he eventually bowed to first-time champion Minwook Gwon of Korea.
“Last year was tough for me,” van der Valk reflected. “My dad had just passed away, and emotionally, I was going through a lot. Honestly, I was surprised to even be in contention.”
Yet if that final-hole heartbreak lingered, it has since been transformed into fuel.
Entering the P6-million championship, which also serves as the kickoff event of the 2026 Philippine Golf Tour season, van der Valk arrives with renewed purpose, clarity and belief.
“I don’t think the same things will happen again,” he said with quiet confidence. “I’ve worked hard, and I’m excited about where my game is right now.”
