When Perry Josef Bucay bagged his biggest victory to date, his longtime coach is also celebrating his own.

The 21-year-old Bucay just recently won the National Golf Association of the Philippines regional championships in Baguio City.

Already it was reason to revel. After all, it was his best showing since finishing in the top 3 of the Pilipinas Golf Tour last year at Luisita.

But what many didn’t know was that his 64-year-old mentor, renowned coach Demetrio Saclot, also went away with the title in the seniors’ category.

“It was great because both of us won,” Bucay said.

The La Salle legal management junior started his love affair with golf when he was seven years old.

He tagged along with his father one day in Wack Wack driving range. And from then, there was no looking back.

He played for Xavier School in high school playing in age-group competitions like the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines.

Bucay has competed in the IMG World Juniors and played for the Philippines in Thailand and Malaysia over the past few years.

“I like golf more because it’s more mental. Like you have to focus on your own game. Of course, it could be physically demanding,” Bucay said.

But he admitted that he was tested to the hilt during the NGAP regionals at Camp John Hay because of the tough field, among other things.

“The greens are too narrow, some are hard, newly aerated,” Bucay recalled. He was tied for lead but on the 17th hole his second shot found the green, two-putted, and sealed the win.

A shot at the pros is the horizon, but Bucay said he’s not in a rush to make a decision.