MANILA, Philippines — It appears Berry Henson’s title retention bid will not depend on his two arms, but rather on the state of his right toe.

The defending champion from the United States saw his bid suffer a setback when he said he hurt his right toe due a misstep when he joined a native dance called the “Tinikling,” where participants are made to jump in and out of clacking bamboo poles.

The incident happened last Monday and it helped that he had three days to heal the injury and Benson said he will play in today’s first round of the of the ICTSI Philippine Open at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club determined to become the first back-to-back winner in over five decades.

According to the 32-year-old Henson, he accidentally “rolled his right toe on a bamboo” during dinner show at a Malate restaurant.

“It’s pretty painful right now,” said Henson, although he said the injury isn’t that serious and he’s ready to defend the title he won nearly nine months ago.

Henson is hoping to become the first player since 1955 to repeat as champion, duplicating the feat of legendary Filipino golfer Celestino Tugot, who actually won four consecutive from 1955 to 1958.

On the other hand, the last foreigner to capture back-to-back championships was Norman Von Nida of Australia in 1938 and 1939.

“I definitely put the preparation at home, and worked as hard as I could to defend my title,” said Henson, who won the PH Open last year by saving par on the 18th hole with a 45-foot putt, averting a playoff match with Jay Bayron.

“I see him (Bayron) as well as all other Filipinos to contend. I know how much this means, winning a national Open is something I’ve strived to do. Winning a US Open will be big for me, so for Filipinos, winning their Open will also be big for them,” he said.

Prior to Henson’s triumph, Filipino par-busters Frankie Miñoza and Angelo Que both won the Open in Wack Wack in 2007 and 2008, Elmer Salvador ruled in 2009 when the event was held in Mt. Malarayat, and Artemio Murakami won it two years back at the Valley Golf and Country Club.

Bayron will be among the 150 participants in this event also backed by HSBC, Panasonic Philippines, Globe Telecom, San Miguel, Cathay Pacific, OMEGA and BlackBerry.

“I really want to win the PH Open. It was unfortunate not to win it last year,” said Bayron in Filipino, after actually leading in the final round with an eagle at the par four second hole but eventually lost to Henson.

“I hope this time,” added Bayron.

Other top Asian Tour champions and stars will gather for the season’s second leg, which includes last week’s winner Kieran Pratt of Australia, Japan’s Tetsuji Hiratsuka (ranked second on the Order of Merit last season), Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant.

Former PH Open champions Que, Salvador, Murakami, Frankie Minoza, and Gerald Rosales, who captured the title in 2000, will also be seeing action in this event, which will also be televised live for the first time on the Asian Tour’s global TV in over 200 countries this week.

PACQUIAO RAISES P.1M DURING PRO-AM

During the pro-am, pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao helped raise P105,960 for the victims of Typhoon Sendong in northern Mindanao.

The superstar, who is also a congressman in the Philippines, played alongside Miñoza.

He later autographed boxing gloves at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club, the tournament’s venue, which were sold to fans.