As the Junior Philippine Golf Tour gears up for its upcoming event in Baguio next week, organizers of the 14-leg nationwide circuit are eagerly anticipating the seven-leg swing through the Visayas and Mindanao regions, long regarded as the spawning grounds for nurturing the country’s golf talents.

Tournament director Jack Imperial has highlighted the enthusiasm and keen interest shown by the participants at Splendido Taal and Pradera Verde. These venues have seen significant engagement following the successful debut of ICTSI’s junior golf initiative last year.

Imperial emphasized that the circuit is instrumental in developing players’ skills and confidence while also promoting camaraderie among the young golfers and their families.

“You can see their eagerness. It’s excellent training because the pressure is there. Competing against their peers and friends helps them build confidence,” said Imperial.

He expressed optimism that the circuit would attract more participants as it moves to the Visayas and Mindanao, with three legs scheduled in the Visayas and four in Mindanao.

This nationwide campaign aims to provide young players with opportunities to refine their talents and skills. The JPGT operates independently from other junior golf organizations, ensuring no scheduling conflicts and fostering a cooperative environment for the benefit of all young players.

The JPGT Visayas Series will commence at Sta, Barbara Golf and Country Club in Iloilo on June 17-20, followed by the Bacolod leg at the Bacolod Golf and Country Club on June 24-27. It will conclude at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club, formerly Marapara layout, also in Bacolod, on July 1-4.

The JPGT Mindanao Series will kick off at Apo Golf Club in Davao on July 23-26, followed by South Pacific Golf Club, also in Davao, on July 30-Aug. 2. The series will then move to Del Monte Golf Club in Bukidnon on Aug. 6-9, and will cap at Pueblo de Oro Golf and Country in Cagayan de Oro on Aug. 13-16.

The series features competitions in the boys’ and girls’ 8-10, 11-14 and 15-18 categories. For details, contact Sheila Salvania at 0968-3114101 or via email smsalvania.pgti@gmail.com.

At the end of the series, players will earn points based on their performance in each tournament. The total of a player’s best two results out of the three tournaments will count towards the final ranking.

The top two players in each division from the Visayas series will qualify for the Match Play finals slated at The Country Club in Laguna in October.