The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
DAVAO CITY – Filipino young golfers grabbed the spotlight as Team Philippines 1 won the title in the 8-and-under category of the inaugural Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines (JGFP) World Team Championships on Saturday, April 18 at the Apo Golf and Country Club here.
Representing the JGFP Luzon, the team of Alonso Fabul, Andres Jeturian, Lauro Delen and Blake Connor Sy shot a final round 28-over-par 100, which gave them a second round total of 244 and an overall 482 after a 238 in the first round. Delen carded a second round 77, Jeturian 82, Fabul 85 and Sy 107.
In a four-to-play and three-to-count tournament format, the 8-under was contested for 36 holes, while the 13-18 and 9-12 divisions competed in three rounds as the event gathered a total of 150 players from 11 nations.
Team Philippines 1 bested by 14 strokes the Go-for-Gold sponsored team after Stephanie Gaisano Gan, Thiago Sajulga, Stephen Clementer and Japanese Mia Shinohara finished with a total 496.
Gaisano Gan, on the other hand, grabbed the individual girls 8-under championship following a two-day total of 163, besting the 169 of Shinohara, while Davao City native Ethan Franco Lago of Philippines-Mindanao pocketed the individual boys with 152, beating Delen, who finished tied with Jeturian at 158 but won the one-hole playoff for second spot.
Lago, the eight-year-old Grade 3 student at Ateneo de Davao, said it helped him that he captured the title in the JGFP World Team Championship qualifying meet last month, which earned him a spot for the Luzon JGFP squad.
“I’m happy to win the individual title, and I’m looking forward to winning more championships,” said Lago, who considers golf icon Tiger Woods as his favorite golfer and idolizes local legend Miguel Tabuena.
On the other hand, Gaisano Gan, youngest daughter of JGFP president Oliver Gan, said she hopes to capture as well more championships like her favorite player Rianne Malixi, the top amateur Filipino golfer who is now with Duke University.
“Very happy to win,” said Gaisano Gan, who also looks up to LPGA campaigner Nelly Korda.
According to Oliver Gan, the victory of these young golfers only showed that the program of JGFP is on the right track and that grassroots development, particularly in the province, is a factor for the overall improvement of the sport in the country.
“This shows that our young players have the skills to go head-to-head against other countries. We hope to continue developing them, improving their game,” said Gan as the event sanctioned by the National Golf Association of the Philippines (NGAP) got the backing of the Philippine Sports Commission (NGAP).
In the 13-18 category of this event sponsored by Islandwide, Darlington Socks and Sotogrande Hotel, the official home base of the event, the top Filipino players for boys and girls divisions will earn spots in the Asia Pacific golf meet in Sri Lanka this June.