Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 7) – A young Philippine golf team seeks to continue the country’s dominance in the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) in Vietnam next month.
2019 SEAG gold medalist Lois Kaye Go will lead the seven-strong national golf team in Hanoi, according to the lineup shared by National Golf Association of the Philippines secretary general Bones Floro to CNN Philippines.
“It’s a very young team with the infusion of fresh and new talents that hopefully will pull off a successful mission in Vietnam,” said Floro.
Go will be in her third straight SEAG stint in Vietnam, after winning bronze in the women’s individual event in Malaysia back in 2017, and the gold in the women’s team category in 2019 on home soil with now pro golfer Bianca Pagdanganan.
In the women’s team, Go will be joined by 15 year-old Rianne Malixi and many-time Ladies Philippine Golf Tour low amateur leg winner Mafy Singson.
Malixi is making her mark in the Philippine golf scene as she is set to compete this month in three American Junior Golf Association tournaments and qualifying meets for a chance to show her wares in the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour’s five majors.
In the national team qualifiers held at the Luisita Golf and Country Club in Tarlac last month, Malixi was the runaway winner after firing off a total of 594 in the 144-qualifying hole.
Four golfers banner the men’s team led by 16 year-old Jet Hernandez and 17 year-old Jed Dy, the two winners in the national team qualifying event.
Hernandez – a former Junior World Golf Tour standout – topped the field with a total score of 572, 16 strokes ahead of runner-up Dy who wounded up with 588.
California-based Academy of Art University golfing ace Gab Manotoc and returning national team campaigner Kristoffer Arevalo complete the Philippine men’s golf team looking to end their 12-year gold medal drought.
The golfers will compete in several tournaments leading up to their SEAG campaign.
