The 2025 Smart Infinity Philippine Open has just concluded, marking a resounding success.

Of course, it would have been perfect if a local bet emerged victorious, but for all intents and purposes, Philippine Golf as a whole won.

National opens are significant as they celebrate the history and tradition of a sport within a country.

As Asia’s oldest golf championship, the Philippine Open has cemented its reputation since it was first held in 1913 at the old Manila Golf Club in Caloocan.

Since then, local legends and international professionals have hoisted the trophy, with the tournament being held in some of the best courses in the country.

This year’s winner at the Manila Southwoods is Asian Tour rookie Julien Sale of France.

The Philippine Open marked the opening championship of the Asian Tour’s 2025 season, with Sale, who had recently earned exempt status, making history as the first rookie to win his debut event on the tour.

He started the final day two shots behind third-round leader Tomoyo Ikemura.

With steady play and a string of birdies, Sale secured a three-shot lead as he approached the final hole.

Despite birdies from his closest pursuers and an untimely bogey from Sale on the 18th, his lead was enough to get him the win.

Among the local contenders, Miguel Tabuena had the best chance of catching the leaders. However, a tough first round proved costly, and despite strong performances in the following rounds, he ultimately fell short.

Other noteworthy local performers from the local ranks were Aidric Chan, Justin Quiban and Sean Ramos, all finishing the week under par.

Another highlight of the week was the attendance of Rianne Malixi, the reigning US Girls’ Junior and US Women’s Amateur champion.

Playing with the big boys didn’t seem to rattle the teen prodigy.

She carded a respectable 75 and 72 on the first two days. Although she missed the cut, she went on to outperform several seasoned, multi-titled professionals.

2025 has had the best possible start for local golf. Hopefully, the Philippine Open remains a yearly staple on the Asian Tour. We need to draw as much attention as possible, as local golf tourism lags behind neighbors like Thailand and Vietnam.

While interest in golf has grown among local players during the pandemic, we still have much work to do to make it a more lucrative industry in the Philippines. Currently, golf here remains an exclusive sport. However, it offers us an opportunity to excel, and it provides juniors a pathway to the best schools abroad.

For golf to thrive, it must become more accessible, allowing us to produce more talents like Rianne Malixi.

This is a goal we can all strive toward, and the return of the Philippine Open is a major step in the right direction.