BACOLOD – There couldn’t have been a more fitting stage or more compelling moment for Daniella Uy to rekindle her fierce rivalry with the country’s top pros – and a couple of rising Korean stars – than at the very tournament where she last etched her name in bold.

The ICTSI Bacolod Golf Challenge fires off Tuesday, Sept. 2, at the tight, hazard-laden Bacolod Golf and Country Club in Binitin, Murcia here and Uy returns not just as defending champion, but as a marked player – eager, hungry and laser-focused on reclaiming her place atop the leaderboard after a lengthy stint abroad.

Taking a break from her LPGA of Taiwan campaign, Uy is back on home soil, bringing with her a game sharpened by high-level competition and months of battling some of Asia’s top-tier talents. Though she has yet to bag a title overseas, the experience has made her mentally tougher and more tactically sound.

And there’s no better place for a statement win than Bacolod, a venue that holds special significance for the former Junior World champion. It was here last year where she fended off a fierce charge by Chanelle Avaricio in a gripping final stretch to clinch a two-stroke victory – her fifth career title and a springboard to her international pursuits.

But Uy knows full well that her return will be no walk in the park.

The par-70 layout in Binitin is short but tricky, demanding precision over power and rewarding sound course management more than aggression. And the field she’s up against is deep, dangerous and just as driven.

With reigning LPGT Order of Merit winner Harmie Constantino, Epson Tour campaigner Pauline del Rosario, rising star Mafy Singson, and the always-consistent Sarah Ababa all in the mix, the race for the crown promises to be a thriller from start to finish.

Ababa, who lost in a playoff to Princess Superal at Caliraya Springs last month, believes the key will be sticking to the basics and playing smart golf.

“Simple lang ang game plan – stick to basics, stay consistent at huwag magmadali,” said Ababa, who’s posted a string of Top 5 finishes this season. “Course management will be critical.

Interestingly, it is the absence of Superal – who opted out of the event to continue shoulder therapy – that has blown the title race wide open. While her absence removes one of the biggest threats, it also injects even more unpredictability and intensity into the already talent-stacked field.

“Iba rin ang pakiramdam kapag wala si Princess kasi sanay na kami na lagi kaming sabay na lumalaban,” added Ababa. “But her absence means everyone now feels they have a real shot. It’s not easier – it’s even more competitive because more players are gunning for the win.”

Joining the hunt are a pair of promising Korean challengers in Tiffany Lee and Seoyun Kim, as well as Kayla Nocum, Florence Bisera, Chihiro Ikeda, Pamela Mariano, Martina Miñoza and former national team standout Lois Kaye Go – all capable of pulling off a surprise on a course that has little margin for error.

But for Uy, this week is about more than just defending a title. It’s about proving to herself – and to the rest of the field – that she’s a stronger, more refined version of the player who lifted the trophy here last year.

With pride on the line and momentum to regain, expect the defending champion to come out swinging with renewed purpose.