Nicole Gaisano-Gan ready for another IMG junior golf stint

MANILA, Philippines – When action kicks off in the 2023 IMG Junior World Championships this week in California, Nicole Gaisano-Gan will be one of the returning Filipinos with experience competing in the prestigious tournament.

That experience will be key in the young golfer’s campaign.

“I’m really excited, I know I’ve done my homework preparing for the tournament. My goal is to make the Top 10,” said Gaisano-Gan, who qualified to participate in the 11-12 girls division of the IMG meet.

“Part of my preparation was the recent Inter-Club here where clubs from Thailand played here and it was a very good experience playing against world class level,” she added.

Another part of her preparation for the IMG was the California Junior Golf tournament, where she bagged the 11-14 division title late last month at the Harding course in Los Angeles.

Gaisano-Gan, who three-putted four of the last five holes, came through with a closing par for a one-over-par 74 for an eight-shot win over Ellie Kim and Luciana Vilchez.

The first time Gaisano-Gan played in the IMG was when she was seven years old back in 2018. There was no IMG tournament in 2020 due to COVID-19 and in 2021 Gaisano-Gan did not join due to travel health restrictions. In 2022, she made it to her third time in the tournament.

Also seeing action in the IMG is Stephanie Gaisano-Gan, who will participate in the 6-under girls division. The two are daughters of Oliver — current head of the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines (JGFP) — and Johanna.

The annual IMG meet will have the 6-under and 7-8 boys and girls divisions play at the Singing Hills Pine Glenn and Pine Oak courses at Sycuan Resort on July 11-13 in El Cajon, California.

The 11-12 years old will be played at the Heights Golf Course in San Diego, while the 15-18 divisions will be played at Torrey Pines, and the 13-14 is set at Rancho Bernardo Heights also on July 11-13.