NEGROS OCCIDENTAL – Fidel Concepcion sets out for another week with renewed hope and growing expectations.

With his game trending upward in recent Philippine Golf Tour stops, the Southern Utah University product is eager to finally capture that elusive first win as the ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic comes off the wraps Tuesday, Sept. 9, at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club here.

The P2 million event at the storied Marapara layout draws the Tour’s top guns, with focus not just on back-to-back leg winner Keanu Jahns, but also on the resurgent 29-year-old Concepcion, whose consistent performances have hinted at an imminent victory.

After finishing seventh at Forest Hills, Concepcion climbed to fourth at Caliraya Springs, where he battled toe-to-toe with Jahns and Angelo Que in a high-stakes final round shootout, only to falter under mounting pressure.

Learning from that experience, he bounced back in last week’s Bacolod Golf Challenge, staying in the hunt until the closing holes. Though Jahns again surged with his signature stretch-run brilliance, Concepcion fired a bogey-free 67 to secure a runner-up finish.

This isn’t new territory for Concepcion. He led the opening round of last year’s Iloilo Golf Challenge, only to sputter down the stretch and settle for a share of fourth. But each setback has only added layers to his resolve.

“Great players are forged in adversity,” they say – and Concepcion is proving that with each tournament. Now, at the demanding par-70 layout, he’s more determined than ever to convert opportunity into triumph with the right mix of mindset, execution and composure in the clutch.

But Concepcion isn’t the only one with redemption on his mind.

Que, winner of the first two legs of this year’s Tour at Pradera Verde and Eagle Ridge, mounted a thrilling comeback from seven shots back last week, pulling within two with seven holes to play. However, a string of missed birdie putts derailed his charge, and he settled for third. Despite the stumble, Que continues to defy time – and the rising stars around him – as he seeks another title run.

Meanwhile, Jahns remains the marked player in the 72-hole championship, having won the last two legs with poise and consistency.

Also in the hunt this week are a slew of seasoned pros and hungry young guns, including Aidric Chan, Tony Lascuña, Tae Won Ha, Reymon Jaraula, Russell Bautista, Carl Corpus, Collin Wheeler, Michael Bibat and Sean Ramos.

Adding firepower to the already stacked field is Justin Quiban, who returns to local action after overseas stints. A three-time winner on the local circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., Quiban tied for fifth at Caliraya Springs but skipped the Bacolod leg – where he previously triumphed in 2018 after a breakout win at Luisita in 2017.

Quiban ended a five-year winless drought with a dramatic four-hole playoff victory over Marvin Dumandan at South Pacific in 2023, and has since set his sights on international success. He tied for 37th at last week’s Indonesia Open on the Asian Tour, but now turns his focus back to home soil, aiming to capitalize on his momentum.

Others expected to contend include Clyde Mondilla, Jisung Cheon, Josh Jorge, James Lam, John Michael Uy, Forest Hills leg winner Guido van der Valk and former Marapara champions Ira Alido and Rupert Zaragosa.

With a championship-caliber field assembled and momentum building for players like Concepcion, all eyes now turn to Marapara – where every shot counts, no lead is secure and the playing field is wide open.