DAVAO CITY — The fairways of Apo Golf and Country Club take center stage this week as the JGFP World Team Championships officially begin, highlighted by a ceremonial tee‑off led by Senator Bong Go, chairman of the Senate Sports and Games Committee.
The championships aim to position Mindanao, and Davao City in particular, as a serious hub in the national junior‑golf ecosystem, not just a warm‑weather playground for visiting pros.
Some 150 junior players from 11 countries are set to compete in the three‑day extravaganza, which formally kicks off on Thursday and marks only the second international tournament ever hosted by Apo Golf — a milestone for the club and for Mindanao golf.
The first such event was a breakthrough in putting the course on the regional map; this follow‑up installs it firmly in the junior‑golf‑tour calendar and gives Filipino juniors a rare chance to compete against overseas talent without leaving the island.
Close to 50 players and their parents have already checked in at Sotogrande Hotel, the official home base of the championships, and will take part in the official practice round starting at 9 a.m. on Thursday.
The event is organized by the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines (JGFP), which has spent years building grassroots programs across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, and is sanctioned by the National Golf Association of the Philippines (NGAP), underscoring the sport’s institutional backing.
Major sponsors including the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), NGAP, Islandwide and JS Gaisano Malls reflect the overlap of government, federation, corporate, and local business interests in youth sports development.
“The championships are more than a tournament — they embody our core mission of using golf to build character, foster sportsmanship, and promote unity among youth from different nations. We are deeply grateful to the NGAP, the PSC, Islandwide, JS Gaisano Malls, the DoT, the City Government of Davao, and all our partners and sponsors for their support in making this dream a reality,” said JGFP president Oliver Gan.
The opening ceremonies, set for 3 p.m. on Thursday, feature a symbolic tee‑shot by Senator Go joined by Gan, Apo Golf and Country Club president Leo Magno, Director Lyle Uy of the Department of Tourism, and DoT regional director Tanya Rabat‑Tan. Also in attendance are National coach Ramon Brobio, Michael Aportadera of Davao City Hall, JGFP Ambassador Carson Herron, John Gaisano of JS Gaisano Malls, and Atty. Joy Gaisano, chairperson of the organizing committee — underscoring the convergence of sports, tourism and local business behind this landmark junior‑golf event.
Aside from the premier 13-18 age-group division, competition will also be held for the 9-12 and 8-under brackets.
The 13-18 and 9-12 divisions will be played for three rounds while the 8-under will be contested for 36 holes.
The Philippines is fielding multiple teams in each division, led by Philippines-NGAP composed of Tristan Jefferson Padilla, Vito Sarines, Geoff Tan and Nicole Gaisano Gan.
The overseas challenge will be provided by powerhouse Thailand, China, Japan, Australia, Malaysia and Indonesia alongside individual entries from Germany, India, Chinese-Taipei and Myanmar.
For Davao City, the JGFP World Team Championships are more than a one‑week tournament; they are part of a broader push to use youth sports as a vehicle for community building, tourism branding, and long‑term golf‑development. By bringing together international junior squads, local officials, and national‑level sports leaders, Apo Golf is quietly asserting that Mindanao deserves a bigger voice in the Philippine golf story.