Intense school rivalry spills into the greens as 12 varsity squads duke it out for pride and glory in the inaugural ICTSI Intercollegiate Tour, teeing off at the Sherwood Hills Golf Club in Cavite on 16 June for its opening leg.
Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. (PGTI) and the Philippine Golf Foundation (PGF) collaborated to create a collegiate golf series aimed at giving student-athletes a structured and competitive platform to grow and develop their game.
“This is more than a collaboration, but a union of purpose: a shared vision to elevate the sport, nurture homegrown talents and build a solid framework that integrates golf into the college academic and athletic experience,” PGF president Arsenic Laurel said during the Tour’s media launch on Tuesday at the Solaire Entertainment City.
“We are creating clear pathways for Filipino collegiate golfers to grow, compete and possibly to represent our country, whether as part of the national team or on the professional stage,” he added.
Fans will get to see a different battle front in the storied rivalry of Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University as they lead the squads coming from the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).
Other UAAP schools participating in the Tour, which will have its succeeding legs played in various courses nationwide, are National University, University of the Philippines and University of Santo Tomas.
Also swinging in the fray are National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) schools College of Saint Benilde, Mapua University and Lyceum of the Philippines University, FEATI University, De La Salle-Dasmarinas, Enderun Colleges and University of Cordillera.
A stroke-play format will be used, with three-player teams counting the best two scores, plus individual honors up for grabs in both men’s and women’s divisions.
The PGF has long championed intercollegiate golf, fostering discipline, sportsmanship and competition. Meanwhile, PGTI has developed the country’s pro and junior circuits — turning raw talent into champions.
“While junior and professional golf are thriving, there has been a gap at the collegiate level. This Tour bridges that,” PGTI general manager Colo Ventosa said.
“Our goal is simple: Promote collegiate golf as an official school varsity sport. We want more schools to build golf teams and eventually bring the sport into the leagues like the UAAP and the NCAA,” Ventosa added.