Junior Golf Booming in the South

noreply@blogger.com (Erik) — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 06:36:00 +0000

Referrence: Golf Digest

The future of Philippine Golf lies in these young mavens. Junior golf is very much alive and kicking in the Visayas and Mindanao nowadays, thanks to a healthy dose of tournaments all year round, including a summer tour unlike any other.

The VisMin Youth Golf Circuit was the vision of the late Alex Montelibano of Bacolod, who had a strong passion for grassroots golf development because of some of the south-born and -bred greatest names in Philippine golf: Tugot, Silverio, Arda, Lavares, Miñoza, and Pagunsan. He wanted to stage more tournaments independently, and did so actively.

The tour started last year as a three-leg circuit, with stops in Cagayan and Bacolod before culminating in Cebu where Players of the Year honors were awarded to the best in each class. It continued this year despite the lack of corporate sponsorship and the passing of Montelibano last April. The cooperation and shared goals of the major clubs—Del Monte G.C.C., Negros Jungolf Foundation, and the Cebu Country Club Junior Golf Program—kept the tour running. It became a resounding success as every stop had at least 100 participants.

The tour was unique because of its wholesome atmosphere of fun, friendship, and unity. In every stop, parents were helping their visiting counterparts with accommodations. The out-of-town contingents were hosted fellowship dinners every night. The juniors became close friends and would go out together after the tournaments.

As early as last year, the tour already bore fruit. Cebu’s Lois Kaye Go finished third overall in her class in the Callaway Junior World Championships in San Diego. Del Monte’s Lovelyn Guioguio bested national pool bets to win the individual crown in the WGAP Luzvimin tournament.

This year, southern golfers made more noise on the national stage. Del Monte’s Marian Woo won her class in the Samsung Amateur National Finals. Bacolod’s Mia Piccio made the RP team training pool. Cebu’s Vasandani siblings, Shailesh and Rachita, dominated their respective age groups in the Junior World qualifying tournament. Davao’s Chihiro Ikeda bagged the DHL National Age-Group Championship.

Even with the summer over, tournaments still abound. Cebu Country Club will host two major events: the 2nd Samsung Interscholastic, then the 4th Nike Golf Southern Junior Classic at the end of the year. Plans are underway for another venue to host a semestral break tournament. All these open tournaments are on top of the local monthly competitions the southern clubs have for their own juniors during school time.

With a deep talent pool regularly competing, the Visayas and Mindanao clubs look to fulfill Montelibano’s vision of having them produce world-class Filipino golfers from among their ranks. Junior golf is truly booming in the south.

(Jovi is Cebu Country Club’s junior golf chairman and one of the leaders of the VisMin Youth Golf Circuit. More information on Cebu’s junior golf program can be found online on his MULTIPLY SITE. )

Golf Chronicles

Junior Golf Booming in the South