By: Waylon Galvez
DAVAO CITY — Filipino young golfers took center stage as Team Philippines 1 ruled the 8-and-under category of the inaugural Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines World Team Championships on Saturday, April 18, at the Apo Golf and Country Club here.
Representing JGFP Luzon, the squad composed of Alonso Fabul, Andres Jeturian, Lauro Delen, and Blake Connor Sy fired a final-round 28-over-par 100 to finish with a second-round total of 244 and an overall score of 482, after opening with a 238 in the first round. Delen led the charge with a 77 in the second round, followed by Jeturian’s 82, Fabul’s 85, and Sy’s 107.
Played under a four-to-play, three-to-count format, the 8-and-under division was contested over 36 holes, while the 9-12 and 13-18 categories were played across three rounds. The tournament featured a total of 150 players from 11 nations.
Team Philippines 1 outclassed the Go-for-Gold-backed squad by 14 strokes, as Stephanie Gaisano Gan, Thiago Sajulga, Stephen Clemente, and Japanese bet Mia Shinohara settled for a 496 total.
Gaisano Gan, however, claimed the individual girls’ 8-under title with a two-day total of 163, besting Shinohara’s 169. Meanwhile, Davao City native Ethan Franco Lago of Team Philippines-Mindanao captured the individual boys’ crown with a 152. Delen and Jeturian both finished at 158, with Delen securing second place via a one-hole playoff.
Lago, an eight-year-old Grade 3 student at Ateneo de Davao, said his confidence was boosted by winning the JGFP World Team Championship qualifying meet last month, which earned him a spot in 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.
For her part, Gaisano Gan, the youngest daughter of JGFP president Oliver Gan, expressed hopes of collecting more titles like her idol, Rianne Malixi, the top Filipino amateur golfer now playing for Duke University.
“Very happy to win,” said Gaisano Gan, who also looks up to LPGA campaigner Nelly Korda.
According to Oliver Gan, the triumph of these young golfers shows that the JGFP program is on the right track, emphasizing that grassroots development—especially in the provinces—is key to the sport’s overall growth 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, also received backing from the Philippine Sports Commission.
In the 13-18 division of the event, which is supported by Islandwide, Darlington Socks, and Sotogrande Hotel—the official home base—the top Filipino finishers in both the boys’ and girls’ categories will earn spots in the Asia-Pacific golf meet in Sri Lanka this June.
