Collegiate golf finals to dangle world ranking points
With the ICTSI Intercollegiate Tournament (IIT) Finals to dangle precious World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points, those seeing action in the three-day event starting Sept. 23 at Summit Point in Lipa City can have windows opened for opportunities to play collegiately through scholarships in the United States or elsewhere.
Scouts can take attention as it is an open secret that they take a look at the rankings, something that could have the talents playing in Batangas eventually landing spots on teams outside of the country, where they can be developed to become better players.
Some of those who chose to play collegiately in the United States were discovered by scouts in tournaments overseas that offer WAGR points, because entering the radar of the rankings stokes the curiosity of scouts.
A select field of 15 top qualifiers, including nine in the ladies division, earned their places through a grueling four-leg elimination series staged at premier courses across Luzon. The IIT Finals will crown the inaugural individual and team champions, underscoring the initiative’s mission of developing a structured and competitive platform for the country’s collegiate golfers.
In the team competition, eight squads will vie for the championship title under a three-to-play, two-to-count format. The Tour, codeveloped by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. (PGTI) and the Philippine Golf Foundation, is designed to bridge the gap between junior and professional golf, while also promoting golf as a formal varsity sport across academic institutions.
