TAGAYTAY CITY — From the opening drive to the final putt, De La Salle University turned the inaugural University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 golf tournament into a week-long showcase of championship culture, depth and dominance, sweeping all four titles in resounding fashion at Tagaytay Midlands here on Thursday.
Backed by a program built on discipline, continuity and a relentless pursuit of excellence, the Green Archers and Lady Archers lived up to the immense pre-tournament hype and perhaps even exceeded it, capturing the men’s and women’s individual championships as well as both team crowns in a masterclass that could spark a new era for golf as a demonstration sport in the UAAP calendar.
But while La Salle stood tallest on the podium, the rest of the field left Tagaytay with a growing fire of their own. University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University, University of Santo Tomas and Adamson University vowed to rebuild early, sharpen their lineups and strike back next season after witnessing firsthand the level required to compete with the Green Archers’ powerhouse program.
Leading La Salle’s charge was Perry Bucay, who shrugged off an early surge by UP’s Joshua Buenaventura before regaining control midway through the final round to complete a seven-stroke triumph in the men’s individual competition with a 74.
Buenaventura briefly ignited hopes of a dramatic comeback with two birdies against a bogey through the first four holes while Bucay stumbled with a bogey-double bogey stretch starting on No. 4. What had been a three-shot cushion suddenly became a one-shot deficit for the La Salle ace.
But champions respond under pressure, and Bucay did exactly that.
He steadied himself with two birdies against a bogey over the next five holes for a 37 at the turn, while Buenaventura unraveled with back-to-back double bogeys from No. 8 for a 39. The momentum swing proved decisive.
Bucay calmly navigated the back nine with a 37 to finish with a two-over card and a four-day aggregate of five-over 293, sealing the victory and the gold medal.
Buenaventura settled for silver at 300 after a 78, while another La Salle standout, Zach Castro, secured bronze at 304 following an 81.
“It feels ecstatic. We’re all very happy to win the first-ever UAAP golf title,” said Bucay, his voice hoarse from cheering for his teammates.
“I just focused on staying steady. On the final day, a lot of players get tired, so I had to keep my stamina and focus. It’s draining not just physically, but mentally as well.”
In the end, the grind was worth it as they made history in the event presented by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Wilson Philippines and Akari.
“Hopefully, we can sustain this success. UAAP is different because it’s the highest collegiate sports organization, so the recognition and support are on another level,” Bucay said, while also crediting their stint in the ICTSI Intercollegiate Tournament last year.
“We’re very grateful for the IIT because it prepared us well. There’s a lot that goes into getting a team ready for a week-long golf tournament and having gone through that before helped us. We’re thankful for the resources and support from our school, and that definitely prepared us for this week.”
The women’s division produced another La Salle showcase as Julia Lua survived a fierce all-day duel with teammate Alexa Dacanay to complete a dominant 1-2 finish for the Lady Archers.
Lua delivered clutch birdies and pars down the stretch to rescue an 80 and finish with a 330 total, defeating Dacanay by four strokes after the latter, who tied Lua with seven holes to play, hobbled at the finish, fumbling with two bogeys and a double bogey on the last hole for an 83 and 334. Ateneo’s Monique Mendoza, who led in the first round, wound up third at 343 following an 88.
With Janine Yusay contributing a 105, La Salle amassed a final-round 268 and a four-day total of 1056 to storm to the women’s team championship by 21 shots over Ateneo, which finished with 1077 after a 274 behind rounds of 88 from Mendoza, and 92 and 94 from Simi Tinio and Andie Joson, respectively.
UP placed third at 1138 after a 283 built around Ava Heredia and Annika Gozum’s pair of 91s and Katrisse Datoc’s 101. UST and Adamson wound up fourth and fifth with 320-1289 and 365-1478, respectively.