It’s now a sprint for first collegiate title at Summit Point
The ICTSI Intercollegiate Tour Finals has been reduced to two rounds, making it a sprint starting on Wednesday for the inaugural team and individual titles of the noble event at Summit Point in Lipa in Batangas.
Tournament organizers were forced to cancel what was originally the first round on Tuesday because of rains brought by Supertyphoon “Nando,” and the protagonists acknowledge the need for a solid start and a furious finish—nothing in between.
“It means the next two days will be tougher because every round counts now,” said Julia Lua of La Salle-1, one of the key contenders in the finals. “There’s really no room for mistakes.”
Nando battered the country in the last two days, and the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. prioritized player safety and course quality in cancelling the first round.
A marquee matchup is set in the 7:25 a.m. flight, featuring leg winners Lua and Shane Tan of Ateneo-2. They’ll be joined by UP-1’s Katrisse Datoc and CSB-1’s Olivia Bermudo in a high-stakes clash mixing individual glory with team aspirations.
Addie Manhit of UP-1 will tee off at 7:35 a.m. with CSB-1’s Natasha Bantug, Ateneo-2’s Tatiana Ong, and La Salle-1’s Stacey Chan—another flight loaded with contenders.
Lua emphasized her focus on sticking to what works.
“My focus is playing my own game and enjoying the process,” she said. “When I’m relaxed and having fun, that’s when I play my best golf.
“Individually, we’ll stick to what works for us, and as a team, our shared goal is to finish on the podium,” she added. “Given the conditions, it’s important to stay patient and focused. We just have to adapt to whatever challenges the course presents and trust our preparation.”
Team format calls for three players seeing action with only the top two scores counting.
