Golf patron Oliver Gan (left).
O-Gan golf meet at Riviera
MORE than 100 junior golfers in the country will tee off for the first ever Oliver Gan presents: Junior Golf Fellowship Invitational Sunday, Aug. 21 at the Riviera Golf Club in Silang, Cavite.
Gan, former adviser for golf at the Games and Amusements Board (GAB), said his primary reason in staging the tournament is for the development of junior golfers of Xavier School and De La Salle University – both his Alma Maters.
“We always want to help in the development of their golfers. But at the same time, it’s my way of helping the development of junior golf in our country. As a former junior golfer, we want to see them excel in tournaments here and abroad,” added Gan.
Some of the best Filipino players in junior golf are expected to compete, including Celine Abalos, Stevie Umali, Zach Villoraman, Elysse Co, Mika Arroyo, Zach Castro, Monique Arroyo, Tyler Zamuco and Patrick Tambaque.
They’ll be joined by Gan-Gaisano sisters Nicole and Stephanie, Bree Macasaet, Gabriele See, Anya Cedo, Juliana Ong, Martina Oben, Rafael Ley, Armand Copok, Venice Tiamsic and Shinichi Suzuki.
According to Gan, the said event also serves as a qualifying meet for the coming Thailand Junior Golf Championship after the Thailand Golf Association personally offered him spots for the competition.
“After this first tournament, we’ll see if we can have another one to know who would be included (to the team) or who are qualified, because we want to send the best team, best players possible,” said Gan, a former program officer for NCR at the Philippine Sports Institute (PSI), a branch of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
Gan said the event, which provides free of charge on tournament fees to all participants, has been made possible by The Riviera golf club led by its chairman Norman Legaspi.
While participants are limited to 100 junior golfers, Gan said they can compete in the second leg.
“Actually, when we reached 100, we told others who wanted to join this type of events… they can still join the next one. Because of the turnout of participants, it’s likely that we’ll have a second event,” said Gan, who recently teamed-up with Ivan Monsalve, Gab Manotoc and daughter Francesca Gan to emerge as champion in Division 1 of the inaugural Southwoods Pro-Am Invitational at the Masters course of the Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club in Carmona, Cavite.
