The country’s leading players in the amateur ranks, headed by reigning national champion Mhark Fernando, slug it out beginning this Tuesday as the WWWExpress-DHL National Golf Championships fires off at the north course of the Canlubang Golf and Country Club in Laguna.

Fernando has been tipped as the player to beat in the four-day tournament owing to his top form, having captured the low amateur honors in the recent The Country Club Invitational and his familiarity with the par-72 course, which he calls home.

Brand-new dad Jhonnel Ababa, Fernando’s teammate in the ICTSI-Canlubang team, is also expected to come out strong after missing the TCC Invitational along with the other club bets raring to flaunt their knowledge of the tough layout, particularly its putting surface which could make or break one’s title bid.

But the challenge could come from a crack ICTSI-The Country Club team all primed-up for the big event next to the RP Amateurs, including former champion Rufino Bayron, Antonio Asistio II, Peter Villaber and former Hong Kong Amateur Open champion Dante Becierra.