Top contenders (from left) Guido Van der Valk of the Netherlands, Jay Bayron, Miguel Tabuena and Keiran Pratt of Australia hold the Perpetual trophy during the press conference of the 87th Philippine Open. (Bob Dungo Jr.)

MANILA, Philippines — With a strong cast of foreign players, including defending champion Berry Henson of the United States, the local parbusters are in for a stiff challenge when the 2012 ICTSI Philippine Open starts Thursday at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club.

Asian Tour champion Juvic Pagunsan would have provided the strongest local challenge, but the Filipino ace opted to play in the Dubai Desert Classic, leaving the Open without one of its top draws and its top Filipino player as well.

Henson, however, will have his hands full trying to repeat as champion as he plays against a cast of veteran and young hopefuls.

Among them is Australia’s Kieran Pratt, who won the first leg of the Asian Tour when he bagged the Myanmar Open a week ago. “It was an unexpected win (Myanmar Open),” said Pratt. “To sneak in to the money list, it’s big for me. That goal (of winning again) does not change, only the tournament.”

Also expected to be in the chase are Taiwan’s Lu Wei-Chih and Chan Yih-shin while Japanese Tetsuji Hiratsuka and India’s Himmat Rai and Anirban Lahiri are also aching to stamp their class in the event considered as Asia’s oldest national tournament.

Expected to lead the country’s attack are former winners Frankie Miñoza, Angelo Que and Elmer Salvador.

Minoza, the most decorated player before Pagunsan came into the picture, won the event in 2007 while Que – one of the tour’s young guns – triumphed the following year also at Wack Wack.

When the event was moved to Mount Malarayat in 2009, Salvador stole the limelight and the victory. Artemio Murakami won it two years back at the Valley Golf and Country Club.

One player to watch is Miguel Tabuena – the youngest in the field at 17.

Tabuena, however, is wary of his chances, saying: “Competing in your own national Open is hard, because lots of people are expecting a Filipino to win.”

“But I think a Filipino should win,” added Tabuena, a silver medalist in the 2010 Asian Games in China.