Of all the divisions in the coming ICTSI Junior PGT National Match Play Finals slated next month, the 10-12 age category for both boys and girls look as wide open as it could get.
A four-leg winner in the Luzon series, Vito Sarines should stand out as the clear boys’ favorite. But the field composed of Mindanao finalists Ralph Batican and Jared Saban, as well as Visayas top qualifiers Race Manhit and Kurt Flores and another Luzon bet in Ryuji Suzuki simply looks stacked.
The Country Club in Laguna hosts the event starting Oct. 2 with the stroke play classification, before play shifts to match the following day for the quarterfinals. The final four of all divisions and title matches will be played all on the final day.
In the girls’ division, Aerin Chan seeks to continue her dominant three-leg winning streak that earned her a share of the Luzon series’ top spot with Maurysse Abalos. Joining the action are standouts Quincy Pilac and Casedy Cuenca.
Aerin, a daughter of former Gilas Pilipinas and PBA star Jeff Chan, has been working hard on her game under the watchful eyes of Bong Lopez at Manila Southwoods.
Attention is also on Mindanao qualifiers Rafella Batican and Brittany Tamayo, as well as Visayas contender Kelsey Bernardino and multi-series finalist Chelsea Ogborne, all of whom are poised to make an impact.
Beyond the 10-12 division, intense competitions are also expected in the 8-9, 13-15, and 16-18 age groups, ensuring that the finals will be a memorable showcase of young talent on the rise.
Sponsored by ICTSI for the second consecutive season, the JPGT aims to fuel the passion and development of young golfers through a series of competitive events across various age groups.
