In-form RP bets kick off Junior World bid

SAN Diego, California – The spearheads of the 51-strong Philippine contingent in the 2010 Callaway Junior World golf championships get going Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) in Torrey Pines, all raring to display their form honed up to competitive level by a comprehensive training program.

Stanford U-bound Marcel Puyat, Dottie Ardina, Irina Gabasa and Miguel Tabuena lead the RP campaign in the 15-17 years class, all coming off impressive stints in summer events held in various parts of the US in the run-up to this week’s big event.

Ardina, one of the ICTSI scholars at the David Leadbetter Academy, is a girl on a mission. She is hoping to become the winningest Filipino campaigner here with a fourth title in her second crack at the girls Class A crown.

Puyat, another member of the ICTSI golf pool, is coming off a big victory in the AJGA (American Junior Golf Association) leg in Texas while Gabasa, the diminutive reigning Philippine Ladies Amateur champion, came up big by topping the Bubba Conlee in Bartlett, Tennessee recently.

Tabuena, on the other hand, ruled the California sectionals of the US Junior PGA championship.

A host of others in the delegation supported by the country’s flag-carrier Philippine Airlines, ICTSI, Pancake House Group, Teriyaki Boy, Sizzilin Pepper, Dynamic Sports and Leisure Corp., McDonald’s, Smart, Golf Depot and Pioneer Insurance, can give the country another title after being shut out last year.

Among them are Asia-Pacific champion Princess Superal (girls Class B) who also topped her warmup San Diego Junior Masters event last weekend, the long-hitting Miggy Yee (boys Class B), the steady Rupert Zaragosa (boys Class C), former 7-8 years winners Mia Legaspi (girls Class C), Bernice Olivarez-Ilas (girls Class D) and Jed Dy (boys Class F).

“The signs are good and we hope that it will be translated to victories in the grand stage,” said delegation head Luigi Tabuena, president of the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines, which for the most part of the year has given the local juniors all the necessary training and exposure to become better players.

The coaches of the ICTSI stables for both boys and girls are also around to help out in the campaign of Team Philippines which is just one of about 40 countries vying for the 12 division up for grabs in six age classifications.