Tagaytay: De La Salle University is tagged as the team to beat in the UAAP Season 88 golf tournament which unfolds Monday at Tagaytay Midlands in Talisay, Batangas. La Salle hopes to carry the momentum of its sweep of last year's ICTSI Intercollegiate tournament. Out to challenge the Taft-based team are Ateneo de Manila University, University of Santo Tomas (UST), University of the Philippines (UP) and Adamson University.
According to Philippines News Agency, the inaugural tournament will count as a demonstration event. The four-day event features a 72-hole aggregate gross stroke play format contested over four rounds, with each round consisting of 18 holes. Teams will field three to four players per round from rosters of four to six, counting the best three scores toward the team total. Only those who complete all four rounds will qualify for individual honors.
Julia Lua, the women's individual champion at the inaugural ICTSI Intercollegiate, will lead the Lady Archers anew, alongside Janine Yusay, Michelle Cuenca, Alexa Dacanay, Donnabel Magsino and Madeleine Valderrama. Seeing action in the men's team are Zachary Castro, Jacob Cajita, Miguel Fusilero, Ferdinand Lagman and Martin Lu.
Ateneo and UP bring valuable experience from last year's ICTSI campaign, while UST and Adamson have quietly built up their programs. Spearheading Ateneo are Gian de Castro, Juan Antonio Escano Jr., Christian Romero, Schmuel Tan, Glenn Unabia and Tyler Zamuco. UP is comprised of Joshua Buenaventura, Emilio Carpio, Miguel Roque, Kirk dela Torre and Laurence Sengia. UST will bank on Marc Velasco, Ralph Villame, Kaiser Acebedo, Philbin Cerezo, John Luis Nepomuceno and Timothy Lim, while Adamson will rely on Kyle Doldol, Carlos Gumayagay, Joemarie Medalla, Zach Valera and Kier Villamin.
In the women's division, UP is fielding Katrina Datoc, Annika Gozum, Ava Heredia, Chantela Lapatha, Janna Tan and Nicole Yan, while UST has Mhica Aguinaldo, Jianna Baquiran, Deborah Escote, Angela Hermosa, Pamela Santos and Marian So. Shane Tan, Monique Mendoza, Renee Heredia, Annika Jalbuena, Andrea Joson, Julia Lorenzo and Gabriella Tinio make up Ateneo's roster, while Janessa Baquiran, Faith Bunoan, Denise Cabunilas and Colleen Visitacion are in Adamson's lineup.
The UAAP and the Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. signed a three-year deal designed to establish a clear developmental pathway, linking grassroots initiatives to collegiate play and, ultimately, the global stage. By providing a competitive platform at the collegiate level, the UAAP also empowers student-athletes to seriously consider professional careers.
