IIT finals to award WAGR points, boost global path

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The ICTSI Intercollegiate Tournament Finals is set to unfold Sept. 23–25 at Summit Point Golf and Country Club in Lipa, Batangas, promising a high-stakes showdown of collegiate talent, elite team strategies and individual grit.

What sets this year’s tournament apart is its inclusion in the World Amateur Golf Ranking — a milestone that boosts the event’s prestige and offers Filipino student-athletes a clear path to global recognition.

A field of 15 top qualifiers, including nine in the women’s division, earned their spots through a grueling four-leg elimination series held at premier golf courses across Luzon.

The Finals will crown the inaugural individual and team champions, fulfilling the initiative’s mission to provide a structured, competitive platform for collegiate golfers in the country.

Eight squads will compete in the team championship under a three-to-play, two-to-count format.

The tour is co-developed by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. and the Philippine Golf Foundation to bridge the gap between junior and professional golf and promote the sport as a formal varsity discipline in schools.

Set to contend for the team title are UP-1, CSB-1, La Salle-1, La Salle-2, Ateneo-1, Ateneo-2, La Salle-3 and UP-2.

The IIT also aims to open doors for scholarships, national team berths and future professional careers.

Its inclusion in the WAGR calendar is seen as a game-changer.

By awarding WAGR points, the IIT Finals becomes more than just a local tournament — it emerges as a legitimate springboard to international competition.

It also helps collegiate players gain exposure, improve global rankings and increase their chances of landing scholarships abroad or invitations to elite amateur events.

In the women’s division, the title race is headlined by Addie Manhit of UP-1 and Shane Tan of Ateneo-2, who each tallied 27 points in the four-leg eliminations.

Scoring was based on the players’ best two rounds, adding a strategic layer to the qualifying phase.

Manhit delivered standout performances, winning the Caliraya Springs leg (15 points) and placing second at Royal Northwoods and Pradera Verde (12 points each), with one of the second-place finishes counting toward her total.

Tan won the Pradera Verde leg and finished second at Eastridge Golf Club to match Manhit’s total.

Monique Mendoza of Ateneo-1 finished third with 25 points, fueled by her win at Eastridge and a third-place showing at Royal Northwoods (10 points).

Other women’s finalists include Julia Lua (La Salle-1), Natasha Bantug (CSB), Stacey Chan and Janine Yusay (La Salle-1), Simi Tinio (Ateneo-1) and Katrisse Datoc (UP-1).

Only players who participated in at least two legs and earned points qualified for the finals.

The men’s division features a compact six-player field, led by Sean Granada (CSB-1) and Zachary Castro (La Salle-1), who also tied with 27 points.

Granada topped the Splendido Taal leg and placed second at both Pradera Verde and Beverly Place.

Castro won at Pradera Verde and was runner-up at Royal Northwoods.

Other top contenders include UP-1 teammates Joshua Buenaventura and Miggy Roque, Rans Balay-odao of the University of the Cordilleras, and Emilio Curran of Ateneo-1.