North defends ICTSI Junior PGT crown against South

CAGAYAN DE ORO — Team North will open its title defense in the ICTSI Elite Junior PGT Finals with a straightforward formula: play clean, stay patient, and keep the pressure on until host Team South cracks.

South, however, enters the Ryder Cup-style championship armed with home-course familiarity, a deeper pool of battle-tested qualifiers, and a determined bid to avenge last year’s defeat when competition begins Tuesday, Aug. 18, at Pueblo de Oro Golf and Country Club.

The 2026 ICTSI North vs. South Elite Junior PGT Finals runs through Aug. 20 and features boys and girls in the 7-10, 11-14, and 15-18 age divisions.

North coach Joey Anciano has stressed teamwork and smart decision-making as keys to the defending champion’s campaign, particularly in the opening four-ball and foursomes matches, where partnerships and momentum can quickly alter the competition.

“Our main focus is teamwork and keeping the pressure on. In both formats, we want our players to play smart, stay patient, and trust their partners,” said Anciano.

“But the goal is to play clean golf and let them make the mistakes,” he added.

That approach will immediately be tested against a South side looking to turn its familiarity with Pueblo de Oro into an early advantage.

The Southerners are expected to draw confidence from their knowledge of the course, particularly on delicate shots around the greens, while several new faces strengthened the lineup after earning spots through the six-leg regional qualifying series.

South also believes course knowledge could provide a small but potentially decisive edge in match play, where a good read on a breaking putt, familiarity with a difficult landing area, or confidence on a particular approach can turn a halved hole into a lost point for the opposition.

North, however, has already shown it can thrive under pressure.

The defending champions defeated South, 26 1/2-21 1/2, in last year’s inaugural North vs. South showdown at The Country Club in Laguna.

Anciano’s players are confident their depth and firepower can reproduce that performance, or improve on it, despite competing on South’s home turf.

With points at a premium across the 7-10, 11-14, and 15-18 divisions, North knows depth could prove as important as star power.

Anciano has kept his final pairings under wraps, saying the strength of his roster gives him multiple options before the opening tee shots.

“The great thing about this team is that every single player is strong, so no matter how we order our pairs, we’re confident we can win points from the very first match to the last,” Anciano said.

“We’ll save the final order for game day.”

That flexibility could prove crucial in a three-day competition in which four-ball and foursomes play on the opening stages test team chemistry before individual match-play performance takes greater prominence in the singles round.