Junior World: Pinoy golfers plunge into action

SAN DIEGO, California—It’s all about girl power and that’s what this year’s Philippine delegation to the annual Callaway Junior World championships is pinning its hopes on.

All eyes will be on a number of seasoned girls in the PH contingent as 45 Filipino kids launch their respective bids Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) hoping to sustain the country’s string of successes in a competition that has lured 1,200 jungolfers from 50 countries and 42 states of the United States.

Three of the best talents in Asia at the moment—Princess Superal, Pauline del Rosario and Miya Legaspi—are spearheading the solid Filipino bid in the girls’ 15-17 age group at Torrey Pines North.

Anyone from Annyka Cayabyab, Yuka Saso, Mikha Fortuna, Junia Gabasa, Sofia Chabon, Frances Lia Duque and Reese Ng can also deliver in their respective age brackets as the Filipinos aim to equal the double victory posted by Del Rosario and Kristoffer Arevalo in the 13-14 age group last year.

Cayabyab is among the favorites in the girls 9-10 at Lomas Santa Fe Executive course, Saso and Chabon take a crack at the 11-12 plum at Rancho Bernardo Inn, while Saso and Fortuna challenge foreign rivals in the 13-14 class at Country Club of Rancho Bernardo.

Frances Lia Duque and Reese Allyson Ng are in a small field of nine girls in the 6-and-under category at Colina Park and can easily contend for the crown.

Delegation head Luigi Tabuena, president of the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines, remains hopeful for the boys in the team, though, saying that the country has had surprise hits in the past.

“All of the kids came here very prepared, but with so many players entered all age levels you won’t know your chances until you’ve seen the scores after the second round,” Tabuena said.

The Philippines has produced nine winners over the last six years, including a triple victory feat in 2006.

Rupert Zaragosa, the pint-sized straight-hitter from Canlubang who won the 11-12 crown in 2010, is playing his farewell stint in the Junior World.

Arevalo remains a strong threat in his new division where he joins Zaragosa while the standouts in the team like Wei Wei Gao (13-14), Josh Jorge (11-12), former champion Jed Dy (9-10) and Sean Granada (9-10) can also emerge as possible winners.

Del Rosario picked up her fifth international title this year when she won the 15-18 division of last week’s Future Champions of Golf International championship, also in San Diego.

The Philippine entries:

15-17 years: Boys (Torrey Pines South) Kristoffer Arevalo, Rupert Zaragosa, Raymart Tolentino, Dan Cruz, Jelbert Gamolo; Girls (Torrey Pines North) Princess Mary Superal, Daniella Uy, Miya Legaspi, Chanelle Avaricio, Sam Martirez, Abby Arevalo, Rachita Vasandani Pauline del Rosario

13-14 years: Boys (Morgan Run Resort) Aidric Chan, Wei Wei Gao, Ira Alido, Ryan Monsalve, Carlo Villaroman; Girls (Country Club of Rancho Bernardo) Mikha Fortuna, Harmie Nicole Constantino, Yuka Saso, Ashia Nocum

11-12 years: Boys (Sycuan Resort-Oak Glen) Josh Jorge, Carl Jano Corpus, Scott Patrique Reyes, Wei Yu Gao; Girls (Rancho Bernardo Inn) Bernice Ilas, Junia Louise Gabasa, Missy Legaspi, Laia Simone Barro, Sofia Chabon

9-10 years: Boys (Welk Resort-Fountain) Jed Dy, Sean Dominique Granada, Sean Jean Ramos, Jose Miguel Castaneda; Girls (Lomas Santa Fe executive) Annyka Chanel Cayabyab, Sunshine Burberry Zhang

7-8 years: Boys (Oaks-North) Sebastian Arenas, Zachary Castro, Santino Pineda

6 and under (Colina Park) Boys- Miko Granada, Rafael Ilas, Joshua Cole Cruz; Girls-Frances Lia Duque, Reese Ng