BUKIDNON — With the ICTSI Junior Philippine Golf Tour (JPGT) heading into its Mindanao stretch, a new chapter unfolds this Wednesday at Del Monte Golf Club—where homegrown pride, emerging talent, and high stakes converge for a fiery leg of junior golf.
In the spotlight: the girls’ 15-18 division, which is shaping up into a battle of hometown heart versus rising-star grit. Local standouts Zero Plete and Crista Miñoza look to harness their familiarity with the narrow, forest-lined fairways of Del Monte. But right on their heels is Davao’s Precious Zaragosa, a tenacious competitor fresh off a dominant run in the lower division and now hungry to make her mark at the top level.
“This course rewards discipline,” said a local coach. “And with so much on the line, it’s not just about who hits the longest—it’s who keeps their nerve.”
Yet this leg isn’t just a three-player race. CDO’s Kenley Yu and Venice Guillermo, as well as fellow Davaoeña Santinna Patosa, are also in strong form, eager to upset the favorites in this 54-hole clash—the first stop of the four-leg Mindanao swing in the Vis-Min series.
Boys’ division: A stacked field and familiar faces
Meanwhile, the boys’ 15-18 division is bracing for a high-octane faceoff. Fresh from his victory in Mactan, Bukidnon’s own Alexis Nailga will try to ride his winning streak. But the field is deep and ruthless: Bacolod’s Santi Asuncion, Cebu’s Nyito and Roman Tiongko, and Davao’s Vince Naranjo all bring experience and firepower.
Zamboanga’s Mhark Fernando III and a formidable crew from Cagayan de Oro—Armand Copok, Santino Lim, Seth Santos, Cliff Nuñeza, and last year’s match play champ Clement Ordeneza—round out a leaderboard that promises constant shakeups.
In the 11-14 age group, the absence of defending champion Ralph Batican blows the contest wide open. South Cotabato’s Jared and Laurence Saban, Davao’s Nicolas Bernardo, and a confident batch from CDO including Ken Guillermo and Franco Lim will look to capitalize. But they’ll need to fend off strong home bets like Mikhail Namocatcat and Miko Woo, among others, in the grueling 36-hole sprint.
Girls’ youth divisions: Momentum and local pride
Brittany Tamayo of South Cotabato enters the girls’ 11-14 competition with a target on her back after winning in Mactan. But she’ll face stiff competition from CDO’s Margaux Espina and Sasha Edwards, and locals Angel Wahing and Yvonne Colim, while Davao’s Kimberly Baroquillo and Ayla Pavadora eye upsets of their own.
The youngest girls’ group (7-10) offers an exciting mix of local favorites and Mindanao’s best. Del Monte’s Jilliane Namocatcat, Maegan Langamin, and Ashia Frayco defend their home turf against challengers like CDO’s Francesca Geroy and Davao’s Soleil Molde.
Boys’ youth: Ethan Lago eyes back-to-back wins
In the boys’ 7-10 category, all eyes are on Davao’s Ethan Lago, who dominated the previous leg in Mactan and now aims for another championship run. He’ll square off against a diverse pool of players from Cebu, CDO, Bukidnon, and Koronadal—including Bukidnon’s Simon Apilat and Cebu’s Charles Tan and Tobias Tiongko.
Road to the elite finals
The Del Monte leg kicks off a critical stretch for players eyeing the ICTSI North vs South Elite Junior Finals in September at The Country Club in Laguna. Only the top four players in each age group from both Vis-Min and Luzon circuits will qualify—making every stroke from here on out count.
After Bukidnon, the JPGT Mindanao swing continues its tour, while the Luzon series resumes with its fifth leg at Riviera Golf & Country Club in Cavite on July 29.
As the junior golf circuit heats up across the country, the next generation of Philippine golf stars is making their presence felt—one hole at a time.