BUKIDNON — With qualification points for the North vs South Elite Junior Finals up for grabs, the country’s most promising junior golfers brace for a fierce battle in the ICTSI Del Monte Junior PGT Championship, which comes off the wraps on Wednesday at the challenging mountaintop layout of Del Monte Golf Club here.

The tournament ushers in the four-leg Mindanao swing of the nationwide series, which also includes stops at Pueblo de Oro from 1 to 3 July, South Pacific from 9 to 11 and Apo Golf from 14 to 16 July. It is a key part of the Visayas-Mindanao circuit and marks a pivotal moment in the chase for spots in the prestigious Elite Junior Finals set from 30 September to 3 October at The Country Club in Laguna.

With only the best three results counting toward the rankings, players are expected to go all out — not just for the win, but for crucial points to stay in the hunt for one of four coveted berths per division in the Vis-Min series, which will culminate in a face-off with the top performers from the Luzon swing in the national finals.

Although a number of Bukidnon-based players will be competing on familiar turf, recent results have shown that geography offers no guarantees in this highly competitive circuit. The Visayas campaigners, in particular, have proven they can thrive even in unfamiliar territory, setting the stage for a highly unpredictable and tightly contested event.

Leading the boys’ 15-18 category is Mactan leg winner Alexis Nailga, who looks to sustain his form against a stacked field that includes last year’s match play champion and fellow Bukidnon bet and last year’s Match Play Finals winner Clement Ordeneza.

But they will be challenged by Visayan standouts Nyito and Roman Tiongko of Cebu and Bacolod’s Santi Asuncion — all eyeing a turnaround after near-misses in previous legs of the 54-hole tournament.

In the girls’ side, Davao’s Precious Zaragosa, runner-up in the Mactan leg, is eager to bounce back but faces strong opposition from Bukidnon locals Zero Plete and Crista Minoza, Cagayan de Oro’s Kenley Yu and Venice Guillermo, and Davao’s Santinna Patosa — making the 15-18 division another wide-open race.

The boys’ 11-14 category, to be played over 36 holes, also features a stacked roster, each determined to shake up the leaderboard and strengthen their finals bids.

Leading the charge are South Cotabato’s Jared Saban and Laurence Saban, Davao’s Nicolas Bernardo, Cagayan de Oro’s Ken Guillermo, Franco Lim and Kian Umpar, plus Bukidnon’s own Mikhail Namocatcat, James Langamin and Miko Woo.

Equally competitive is the girls’ 11-14 division where Mactan winner Brittany Tamayo of South Cotabato eyes a second straight crown in the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. She’ll go up against Cagayan de Oro’s Margaux Espina and Sasha Edwards, Bukidnon’s Angel Wahing and Yvonne Colim, and Davao’s Kimberly Baroquillo and Ayla Pavadora.

The youngest brackets (7-10) are also drawing attention, with Jilliane Namocatcat, Maegan Langamin and Ashia Frayco carrying local hopes against a strong cast that includes Francesca Geroy, Sistine Yu, Soleil Molde and Arianna Garcia in the girls’ side.

In the boys’ division, Bukidnon’s Simon Apilat will battle it out with a deep pool of contenders from Cagayan de Oro, Cebu and Davao, including Ethan Lago — the dominant winner in Mactan — who returns with his sights set on back-to-back wins in the 36-hole competition.