Young and unstoppable

The recent Philippine Amateur Open Championship in Davao City will be remembered not only for the rise of fearless junior golfers, but also for the unexpected run of the man who had been guiding them all along.

Oliver Gan took time off from his office job just to be by his 14-year-old daughter Nicole’s side. A 5-handicapper, he arrived at Apo Golf and Country Club with no lofty expectations. He wasn’t aiming for a Top 16 finish — in fact, he wasn’t even sure if his 42-year-old legs could survive 18 holes.

But on Friday, there he was — just 30 yards short of the 18th green, a par-5, with a chance to set up a winning birdie and book a spot in the semifinals. He had earlier hit a booming drive and a second shot that nearly reached the green.

Across from him, his opponent, Vito Sarines — 30 years younger and brimming with energy — was trapped under the trees less than a hundred yards away.

After grinding all day to keep the match even, Gan could hardly contain his excitement. The possibility of victory suddenly felt real.

Sarines, however, stole the moment with a crisp low punch that skipped under the branches and rolled onto the green. Gan’s jaw dropped. His own flop shot came up heavy and found the bunker. To his credit, he blasted out to within inches for a safe par.

But the young kid would not be denied. Sarines rolled in a long birdie putt to seal the win.

Gan walked off with mixed emotions — disappointed to have come so close, yet proud to see a 12-year-old prodigy march into the Final Four. When it was over, he embraced the boy as if he were his own son.

While Sarines eventually fell short against top seed Perry Josef Bucay in the 36-hole final, his remarkable run stood as proof of the country’s thriving junior golf program — one jumpstarted by Gan, who took over the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines (JGFP) three years ago.

Consider this: junior golfers dominated the women’s quarterfinals, while five of the men’s quarterfinalists were still in their teens. Two 13-year-olds — Lisa Sarines and Johanna Blair Uyking — even battled for the women’s crown, with Sarines taking the title. The average age of this year’s champions? Just 17.5.

In the end, the Philippine Amateur Open wasn’t just about who lifted the trophies — it was about what those victories signified. With teenagers filling up the brackets and even 13-year-olds battling for championships, the tournament showed that the country’s golfing future is already here.

Thanks to the steady efforts of the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines (JGFP) and the National Golf Association of the Philippines (NGAP), the pipeline has never been stronger. The next generation is no longer waiting in the wings — they’re already taking center stage. And in a few more years, the same names that shined in Davao may very well be the ones carrying the flag on the world’s biggest fairways.