LOCAL junior golfers can look forward to another busy summer as the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines (JGFP) announced a ten-leg summer circuit including two in the Visayas and Mindanao presented by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.(ICTSI).
Although the circuit had officially started with the foreign-flavored Montecillo Cup at the Orchard, where Philippine bets bagged a lion’s share of the major awards, it will not be until April 2 and 3 when the first of ten events, the ICTSI Baguio Country Club Junior Open, is held at the Baguio Country Club.
Eagle Ridge then hosts the second leg, the ICTSI-JGFP Interclub, on April 11 to 13, with jungolfers representing their respective home clubs in a team and individual competition.
Players in the 9 to 17 years bracket will barely have enough time to rest before playing the major leg of the circuit, the Junior World qualifying, on April 16 to 19 at the Legends course of the Manila Southwoods, with slots to the Junior World in San Diego, California this coming July up for grabs.
The Faldo Series Asia Qualifying on April 24 to 26 at Tat Filipinas will be held ahead of the separate Junior World qualifying for Class E and F (7 to 8 years and 6 and under) at the Riviera Sports Club on April 28-30.
Aside from ICTSI, the JGFP series will also get support from Pancake House, Teriyaki Boy, Sizzlin’ Pepper, PAL, Duty Free Philippines, McDonald’s, Golf Depot, Pioneer Insurance, PacSports, Julies Bakeshop, Inquirer Golf and B Hotel for the circuit.
JGFP president Luigi Tabuena said that this rigid schedule would hopefully put the local kids in shape for a series of international tilts, among them the Asia-Pacific Juniors, San Diego Junior Masters, Junior World, Veritas Junior World in Las Vegas, the US Kids in North Caolina and the Optimist International in Florida.
“We freed up the later part of May because we intend to put those qualifying for the major events under intensive training to maximize their potential,” said Tabuena.
The training will be conducted by former world jungolf champion Ramon Brobio who has returned to help in the local talent development program of the JGFP.
For details, call 8939599 or 09178841436 or e-mail jungolf1976@yahoo.com.