By Primo Agatep
BAGUIO CITY- Four student-athlete golfers of the Summer Capital will see action in the International Container Terminal Services ,Inc. (ICTSI) Intercollegiate Tour starting June 16 at Sherwood Hills Golf Club in Trece Martires City, Cavite, first stop of a 10-leg series.
The local team composed of Ranz Louie Balay-odao (Team Captain) of Bakun-Buguias (Benguet); Czendel Jay C. Jay Guanso of Mankayan. Balay-odao and Guanso are both students of University of Cordilleras (UC).
Others are Lance Kich-ong of Sagada, Mt.Province ,a third class cadet of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), and TonTon Fernandez of University of Baguio (UB),a returning student from the US ,now based in the city.
These young parbusters with Camp John Hay GC as their home club ,will match golfing skills against seasoned players from 11 other schools , mostly based in the National Capital Region (NCR).
‘We are not expecting anything but we all will try our best,’ said team captain Balay-odao, 3rd year business management student of UC.
World Cupper and former member of Philippine Team, and local boy Danny Zarate will serve as coach.
Game format calls for stroke play with three golfers to play and two to count.Aside from the team competition an individual honor is also up for grab.
‘Golf requires patience …Sherwood is a long course and hot weather will also be a big factor, thus, our players must be very patient on their games,’ said Zarate, also the golf pro of Camp John Hay GC.
Zarate acknowledged the support of Ray Dean Salvosa ,UC President and Vice-Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT) , UB and PMA for allowing their students to participate in the golf tour.
He is hopeful that other schools in the city as well as in the Cordilleras will be encouraged to do the same , in promoting the said sport and to be included in their university sports program.
Following grassroot sports development, with Zarate’s own initiative, scouting of talents should start from the lower level like in high school.
Scholarship program to be offered to student-athletes will encourage budding talents added Zarate.
‘Aminin natin,ang paglalaro ng golf ay magastos talaga… naranasan ko din yan..at nagpapasalamat ako sa lahat ng mga tao na tumulong sa akin.Kaya gusto ko rin tumulong sa mga gustong maglaro ng (golf) lalo na sa mga estudyante..its pay back time,’ said Zarate.
Actually, this ICTSI Intercollegiate Golf Tou, recently launched by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc., (PGTI) and Philippine Golf Foundation (PGF), aimed at establishing the foundation in making golf an official sport for student-athletes, with the hope of providing them scholarship program.
“The ultimate goal is to get student-athletes into golf and for golf to be recognized as an official sport by schools,” said PGF president Arsenic Laurel in an earlier reports.
Laurel was joined by chairman Cesar Buenaventura along with Pilipinas Golf general manager Colo Ventosa and international business manager Mohamed Shariz in the press launch held at the Solaire Entertainment City in Parañaque.
