Xavier, ICA gain berths to JGFP national finals

Junior golfers of the Immaculate Conception Academy, namely Brianna Hontiveros, Guia Koa, Stephanie Gaisano-Gan, Bea Lapuz, Chloe Ang and Nicole Gaisano-Gan, are all smiles during the awarding ceremony of the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines (JGFP) Inter-School tournament last Feb. 21 at the Mimosa Plus Golf Course in Pampanga. With them are JGFP president Oliver Gan, JGFP “godfather” Mikey Arroyo and JGFP director Tina Flores.

JGFP

MANILA, Philippines — Xavier School San Juan Team 1 and Immaculate Conception Academy Team 1 have earned slots to represent Luzon in the national finals following their impressive stints in the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines (JGFP) Inter-School Championship.

Xavier successfully defended its title in the Junior and Senior high school Division 1 while its Lower School squad won the Division 1 title last February 21 at the Mimosa Plus Golf Course in Pampanga.

Xavier 1, which included Geoffrey Tan, Seth Koa, Enzo Cham, and brothers Rafael and Gabriel See, accumulated 606 points to win the title.

On the other hand, ICA, which has Nicole Gaisano-Gan, Chloe Ang, Bea Lapuz, Brianna Hontiveros and Guia Koa, finished second overall with 549 points, while Xavier’s Team 2 of Jude de Leon, Gabriel Lapuz and Akio Lee placed third with 538 points.

Xavier’s junior high school Team 1 replicated the feat of the senior high as Roman Ungco, Cade Santos, Chad Tang, Nathan de Leon and Kraig Tee collected a total of 523 points, beating the team of Jacob Gomez, MAven Pallasigui, Dia Juane and Lucas Pacifico of De La Salle Zobel with 511 points.

Xavier also showed its might by winning the Lower School trophy as Kenzo Tan, Franco Estrella, Blake Sy, Chadwyk Tan and Enzo Castro totaled 381 points, besting ICA’s Stephanie Gaisano-Gan, Candice Lim, Laura Pablo, Ashleigh Remo and Yarra Chua with 354 points.

In the Middle School category, Homeschool Global Team 2 won the Division 1 crown as Kami del Muno, Avery Sytengco, Tyra Garingalao, Anna Solon and Amiya Tablac tallied 472 points, edging Xavier’s Team 1 of Ryuchi Tao, Jacob Sy, Michael Hortel II and Kenjie Yamada with 453 points.

The other categories were also awarded by the JGFP, in Caliraya Springs Golf Club in Laguna for Division 3 last February 11, in Luisita Golf and Country Club in Tarlac for Division 2 last February 15, and Xavier, ICA to represent Luzon in JGFP national finals

JGFP president Oliver Gan expressed his gratitude to the National Golf Association of the Philippines (NGAP) for supporting the longtime project of the foundation.

“This is the biggest Inter-School and the only one sanctioned by our golf governing body, the NGAP. That’s why we ate grateful, and we thank them, as well as JGFP “godfather” Mikey Arroyo, and the schools and players who joined,” said Gan, a former golf consultant of the Games and Amusement Board.

Meanwhile, the national finals — which will also include qualifiers from Visayas and Mindanao — will take place from May 1 to 3 at the Pradera Verde Golf Club in Pampanga. (Contributed story)