Pinatubo winds set stage for wild finish in crucial IIT Round 3

LUBAO, Pampanga — With titles and final berths on the line, players in the men’s and ladies’ divisions brace for a high-pressure challenge as Round 3 of the ICTSI Intercollegiate Tournament tees off today at the wind-swept Pradera Verde Golf and Country Club.

Perched on the plains near Mt. Pinatubo, Pradera Verde offers generous fairways but demands precision with its shifting winds, tricky pin placements, and challenging greens.

It’s a course that tests both skill and mental toughness, especially with the leaderboard tightly packed in team and individual races.

Fresh off a dominant win at Caliraya Springs in Laguna, University of the Philippines standout Addie Manhit enters with confidence after leading her team, along with Katrisse Datoc and Alyanna Yatco, to victory.

Manhit will face stiff competition from La Salle’s Janine Yusay and Stacey Chan, along with other contenders, in the three-to-play, two-to-count team format co-developed by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. and the Philippine Golf Foundation.

La Salle’s Julia Lua, who won at Sherwood Hills and Royal Northwoods but missed Round 2, remains a doubtful starter.

Ateneo squads also return, with Team 2’s Shane Tan and Tatiana Ong eyeing a late push, while Ateneo I’s Simi Tinio looks to challenge the frontrunners.

CSB’s Natasha Bantug, Enderun’s Daine Pillerin and Kristyanna Herrera, Mapua’s Angel Cawili, and Saint Louis University’s Annika Molintas add depth to the individual race.

In the men’s draw, UP’s Joshua Buenaventura and CSB’s Sean Granada — winners of the first two legs — are set for a showdown.

With the best two scores from the four-round series counting toward qualification for the Sept. 23-25 grand finals at Splendido Taal, today’s round is crucial.

CSB’s Granada will have support from David Guangko and C’Zedrick Sulaik, while La Salle I’s Zachary Castro, Miguel Fusilero, and Enzo Flores remain dangerous contenders.

La Salle II’s Lucas Aldeguer, Jet Ang, and Arvin Ong are also capable of leaderboard-shaking performances.

Ateneo Team 1 features Schmuel Tan, Emilio Curran, and Christian Romero, while Team 3’s Tyler Zamuco, Lorenzo Udasco, and Zach Nicart aim to make an impact.

University of the Cordilleras’ Ranz Balay-odao, who has two Top 4 finishes, is seeking a breakthrough win with teammate Jay Guanso, while Carl Bohol competes individually.

Mapua fields multiple teams led by Alberto Combo, Felix Manubay, and Joaquin Berdan, with Enderun’s Kyle Raquino, Prajit Mishra, and Thomas Shim also in contention.

SLU’s Jhones Miranda, Lance Go, and Melchor Rabanes, UST’s Virgilio David, Marc Velasco, Ralph Villame, Alden Uy, Samuel Braganza, and Kidrich Alcantara, and UP’s Miggy Roque and Emilio Carpio round out the men’s field.

Surviving Pradera Verde will require course strategy and emotional control, with swirling winds, risk-reward par-5s, and momentum swings likely to define the day.