JGFP heads to Davao: Mindanao’s golf hotspot

Davao, the largest city in the Philippines, is celebrated for its rich cultural heritage, breathtaking landscapes, and its growing prominence as a vibrant golf hub in Mindanao.

Over the years, it has nurtured a reputation for producing top-tier golfing talent who have left their marks on both national and international stages.

On 1 December, the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines (JGFP) will hold its Christmas Mindanao edition tournament at Apo Golf and Country Club, widely regarded as one of the finest courses in Mindanao, located in Davao City.

“This is our unique way of paying homage to Mindanao’s golf hotspot,” said JGFP president Oliver Gan, whose leadership has significantly boosted golf’s popularity in the region.

In the spirit of the holidays, Gan, along with event presenter Gaisano, is covering the registration fees for participants, a first since Gan took charge of the JGFP.

The tournament, hosted at the revered Apo Golf and Country Club, is expected to attract participants from across the region, including Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, South Cotabato and General Santos City, as well as invited players from Metro Manila and Cebu City for the 18-hole competition.

Davao is home to some of the Philippines’ legendary champions, including Cassius Casas, Tony Lascuña, Jay Bayron, Elmer Salvador, and, more recently, Jhonnel Ababa and Zanieboy Gialon.

“I’m happy that the JGFP is focusing on Mindanao, especially Davao, to promote the sport. There’s a lot of talent here that just needs exposure to develop,” said Lascuña, who recently claimed his fourth Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit title at age 54.

Before becoming one of the nation’s most celebrated golfers, Lascuña started as a caddie and briefly participated in junior golf tournaments.

“I played a couple of tournaments in Manila back in the day and won both,” he recalled. One notable event was the qualifying tournament for a world junior golf championship in India. Unfortunately, he couldn’t join the main event as he didn’t have a passport then.

When Lascuña was starting, junior tournaments in Mindanao were rare. “I was one of the lucky few who got to travel to Manila and compete,” he said.

Since assuming leadership two years ago, Gan has prioritized holding tournaments in Mindanao, beginning in Davao every January.

It marks the first time JGFP is organizing a tournament in December at Apo Golf.

According to tournament organizer Francis Lucero, around 80 golfers from Davao alone are expected to participate, with 30 already registered. “Many young players have started preparing for the event,” Lucero said.