Don’t count golf out, says coach Gibson

JAKARTA—Rick Gibson has been in the Philippines long enough to know the country’s golf history in the Asian Games.

And the Canadian, who has called the country home, knows that this is probably the biggest chance that the Philippines has in finally nailing an elusive team gold medal in the sport.

“We have two pretty good teams here,” Gibson, the former Open champion and now national coach, told the Inquirer. “Our boys may be able to spring a surprise, but the girls should be one of the favorites in the tournament.”

Yuka Saso, LK Go and Bianca Pagdanganan, who recently played as an amateur in an LPGA event in the United States, make up the young and formidable women’s team that Gibson thinks has the makings to play for a medal—if not the gold itself—in both team and individual contests.

“Japan, South Korea and Thailand, in that order. And then us,” Gibson said when asked to rank the favorites. “But it’s very close.”

Filipino women never finished higher than third in the Games, the last time happening in 2002 in Busan with a squad backstopped by Heidi Chua.

The first time Filipino women won a bronze was in 1990 in Beijing, when Jamille Jose finished third in individual play and, together with Yvette De Leon, Mary Grace Estuesta and Ruby Chico, helped the Philippines make the podium.

“We know the opponents and we think we can play with them,” Saso told the Inquirer after arriving here Thursday together with the men’s team made up of Rupert Zaragosa, Luis Castro, Wei Wei Gao and LJ Go.

Golf will be played at Pondok Indah, which Gibson describes as something “close to Sta. Elena, but definitely tighter.”

“But it’s a short course and I believe scoring will be low,” Gibson said. “And our teams aren’t afraid and are capable of going low.”

Gibson, in parting, asked: “Who’s that American [basketball] player that’s all over the news back home? I’ve been reading a lot about him.”

It was as if he was telling everyone that the Filipino golfers should also be included in the conversation.