BRACING himself for a grind, Guido van der Valk has dedicated significant effort to honing his skills in preparation for his title defense in The Country Club Invitational, which gets going on Tuesday, January 23, at the TCC in Canlubang.

Having reigned in the last two editions of the country's premier championship, the Manila-based Dutchman remains cautious about the formidable competition, notwithstanding his impressive five-stroke romp over Lloyd Go last year.

He nailed his first TCC Invitational crown the hard way, hacking out a one-stroke victory over Clyde Mondilla in 2020 before the Philippine Golf Tour's flagship tournament was postponed for two years due to the pandemic.

As part of the exclusive field composed of former champions and the Top 30 in the previous year's PGT Order of Merit rankings, van der Valk anticipates a fierce contest for top honors, considering the elite cast and the challenges posed by the TCC course.

"I'm hoping for a good week. It's going to be a great test of golf as The Country Club always is," he said.

Meanwhile, a select group of pros will acquaint themselves with the TCC layout tomorrow (Monday, January 22) for the traditional pro-am tournament, partnering with TCC members and amateur guests of the sponsoring ICTSI.

Recognizing the demanding conditions, including the course's length, the defending champion meticulously worked on refining every aspect of his game during the break, collaborating with his coach over the holidays.