A deep and talent-laden field banners the return of the ICTSI Intercollegiate Tournament (IIT), which unwraps on Monday at Tagaytay Midlands with 18 collegiate teams battling not only for championships but also for growing prestige in what has rapidly become one of the country’s premier varsity golf competitions.

Now on its second staging, the tournament, organized by ICTSI and the Philippine Golf Foundation, continues to carve out its own identity as a major platform for collegiate golf, independent of the traditional University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) spotlight. Designed to elevate golf as a mainstream varsity sport while bridging the gap between junior and professional competition, the event has drawn many of the country’s top student-athletes and emerging talents.

Thirteen teams will compete in the men’s division and five in the women’s side, led by powerhouse schools De La Salle University and Ateneo de Manila University, whose rivalry is again expected to fuel the chase for both team and individual honors.

Joining them in both divisions are Enderun Colleges, Mapua University, San Beda University and College of Saint Benilde, each fielding two teams each alongside La Salle and Ateneo, while University of the Philippines completes the men’s cast.

Defending champion La Salle enters the tournament with momentum after sweeping both team crowns and ruling the women’s individual division during last year’s inaugural series organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. The four-leg circuit was held across some of the country’s top championship courses, including Royal Northwoods, Splendido Taal, Caliraya Springs, Pradera Verde, Beverly Place and Eastridge, before culminating in the grand finals at Summit Point.

This year, however, promises to be far more competitive.

With many players simultaneously campaigning in the UAAP golf tournament, the field has become deeper and more unpredictable, creating a wide-open race in both divisions.

Saint Benilde’s Sean Granada headlines the men’s individual competition as he seeks a second straight title, but he is expected to face a fierce challenge from a loaded roster of collegiate standouts.

Adding intrigue to the tournament are five players competing solely for individual honors without team affiliation, including Ateneo’s Matthew Mendoza, FEATI’s Samuel Sagaral, Far Eastern University’s Josh Mauricio, FEU-Alabang’s Matthew Zhou and University of Santo Tomas’ Sean Javier.