CARMONA, Cavite — The Mercedes- Benz Tour tees-off this Wednesday with the season-opening $60,000 Mercedes-Benz Masters Philippines at the Legends Course of the Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club.

Philippine No. 1 Angelo Que heads a strong lineup of local players while Thailand’s Wisut Artjanawat, the defending champion, and his compatriot Namchok Tantipokhakul, winner of last year’s Order of Merit title, are among the impressive number of overseas players.

“There a lot of players here who have won before on the Mercedes-Benz Tour and are very keen to win this week. There are the obvious favorites but there is also plenty of strength in depth which means a relative unknown can breakthrough from the pack,” said Que, who has won three titles on Tour and claimed the Merit list in 2008.

Que finished equal 10th in the Malaysian Open last month and currently lies in 12th place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit and is the favorite this week.

“I have been playing well so I am hopeful of a good week. The scores should be low as the ball is running a long way. The greens are slick so it's going to come down to putting,” added Que, who lifted the Philippine Open in 2008.

Wisut won the Mercedes-Benz Masters Philippines when it was last played in 2008 at Tagaytay Midlands Golf Club. Que ended equal second on that occasion.

The Thai golfer was also victorious in the Mercedes-Benz Masters Vietnam in the same year but since then he has been winless. Namchok stole the show last year by winning on two occasions and finishing number one with earnings of $27,540 from eight events.