JPGT Caliraya Leg Heats Up Junior Golf Finals Race

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The battle for spots in the ICTSI Junior PGT Elite Junior Finals intensifies as the Luzon Series resumes Wednesday, May 28, at Caliraya Springs Golf and Country Club, drawing the region’s top junior golfers in a pivotal fourth leg.

The Caliraya leg kicks off earlier than scheduled and serves as a crucial opportunity for players to earn ranking points and secure their place in the national finals, which cap the prestigious seven-leg series organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. (PGTI).

Boys’ 15-18 standout Patrick Tambalque returns as the marked man after clinching the Sherwood leg, leading a deep field that includes Zachary Villaroman, John Paul Agustin, Geoffrey Tan, and Enzo Chan.

Also challenging Tambalque are rising talents Kristoffer Nadales, Nathan Belandres, and Vincent Ilagan, who are expected to shake up the leaderboard in one of the event’s most competitive divisions.

In the girls’ 15-18 category, the season-long rivalry between Levonne Talion and Rafa Anciano resumes, promising another dramatic duel for supremacy.

Talion stunned Anciano in April with a spectacular eight-shot comeback and a sudden-death win at Eagle Ridge, while Anciano responded with dominant performances at Sherwood Hills and Splendido Taal, the latter in Talion’s absence.

With the two evenly matched and determined, Caliraya could be the defining battleground before the finals.

The boys’ 11-14 group is also expected to be a close race, headlined by consistent contenders Race Manhit, Jacob Casuga, Inigo Gallardo, Jose Luis Espinosa, and Matthias Espina.

In the girls’ division, Alexie Gabi, Kelsey Bernardino, Eliana Dumalaog, Annika Abad, and Kendra Garingalao are set for an intense contest for podium spots and valuable points.

Among the youngest girls’ division (7-10), Winter Serapio looks to convert a series of strong finishes into a long-awaited victory following third and second-place finishes in the last two legs.

She will face tough competition from Tyly Bernardino, Tyra Garingalao, and Penelope Sy, who’s also gunning for a maiden win after two consecutive third-place finishes.

In the boys’ 7-10 category, Zach Guico aims for a third consecutive win, setting his sights on a rare hat trick while fending off challengers Asher Abad, Kenzo Tan, Alexian Ching, and Connor Sy.

The JPGT series, launched by ICTSI in 2023, is a nationwide grassroots initiative designed to discover and nurture elite Filipino golf talent, giving juniors a platform to compete under tournament pressure.

While Luzon has completed three successful legs, the Visayas Series suffered setbacks following the recent eruption of Mt. Kanlaon, leading to the postponement of the ICTSI Negros Occidental and Bacolod events.

The Negros Occidental Championship has been rescheduled for Sept. 15-17, while the Bacolod event in Murcia, Binitin is under date reassessment.

The Mindanao Series will proceed as scheduled, starting with Del Monte Golf Club in Bukidnon (June 25-27), then heading to Pueblo de Oro (July 1-3), South Pacific (July 9-11), and Apo Golf (July 14-16).

To qualify for the Elite Junior Finals at The Country Club later this year, players must compete in at least three regional events.

Only the top four players per division will advance to the North vs. South Finals Series, which concludes one of the country’s most competitive junior golf circuits, with prestige, ranking points, and PHP prizes on the line.