Salvador-Shin leads JGFP tilt

Former Philippine Open champion Elmer Salvador and Asian Tour regular Micah Shin will headline the field in the JGFP Parent and Child Tournament at the Apo Golf and Country Club in Davao City, starting Saturday.

Salvador, one of Apo’s finest products, will team up with 13-year-old standout Nicole Gaisano Gan, while Shin partners with Johanna Blair Uyking. Both teams are expected to be strong contenders and are considered favorites in the Open Pro division.

Other featured tandems include Elmer Saban and his son Jared, LPGT champion Yvon Bisera and Rory Bisera, Budok Alferez and Kim Barroquillo, and Jett Plete with daughter Zero. In the parent/relative-child event, JGFP president Oliver Gan and his seven-year-old daughter Stephanie will defend the title they won in Baguio City last year.

Brittany Tamayo will play alongside her father, John Paul Tamayo, while basketball icon Vince Hizon teams up with his daughter Patrice. Nestle and Andres Jeturian are also expected to make a strong challenge.

The third division will feature junior players paired with non-relatives.

The event marks the start of the JGFP’s 2025 schedule, which will include stops in Cebu City, Cagayan de Oro, Bacolod, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Pampanga and Baguio City.

Salvador, still a formidable force despite occasional bouts with vertigo, is expected to leverage his course familiarity in his quest for victory, alongside Gan, who boasts multiple titles. Shin, meanwhile, takes a break from preparing for the Philippine Open to compete in this two-day tournament.

The 36-hole event is held in memory of the late Cassius Casas, a golf legend and Apo Golf Club’s homegrown star. “This is our humble way to honor Cassius, who brought pride to our country and inspired countless young golfers,” said Gan, who is currently in Davao City overseeing event preparations.