BOBE Salahog and Reese Ng shared the limelight by winning the boys and girls 15-18 age categories in the 2023 IMG Junior World Championships qualifying tournament held at Eagle Ridge in Cavite over the weekend.

Salahog carded a final round of four-over par 76 and finished with a three-day total of 230 in a tie with Jacob Cajita, who closed out with a 78 in the tournament organized by the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines (JGFP).

Salahog, who had earlier rounds of 75 and 79, clinched the top spot after edging Cajita in a two-hole playoff.

Cajita had earkier rounds of 75 and 77

JGFP president Oliver Gan said Salahog and Cajita earned spots in the IMG tournament set July 16 to 22.

Joining them are Santino Pineda and Zachary Castro, who finished third and fourth, respectively.

Pineda finished with 235 (80-77-78) while Castro had 236 (78-81-77)

Ng, on the other hand, finished with a three-day total of 233 after a final round of 73

She had 83 and 77 8n the first tso rounds.

Alethea Gaccion (239), Anya Cedo (246) and Grace Quintanilla (248) join Ng after finishing in second to fourth places.

Also making it to the IMG event is Nicole Gaisano-Gan, who earned her third straight trip to the IMG after topping the 11-12 girls by a stroke.

Gaisano-Gan finished with a 78 and a three-round total of 248 against the 249 of Lisa Sarines.

Gaisano-Gan opened with 87 and 83, while Sarines had 83 and 89

The JGFP recently had its 6-under boys and girls, and 7-8 boys and girls’ qualifying meet with Stephanie Gaisano-Gan and Kenzo Gavin Tan winning the girls and boys U6, and Kamilla Edrianna del Mundo and Sooreen Lee topping the 7-8 boys and girls divisions.

Precious Zaragosa and Brittany Tamayo, who bested Lisa’s twin Mona Sarines in a playoff for the fourth spot, earned the last two IMG positions for the said category.

Ralph Batican topped the boys 11-12 with a score of 239 (79-79-81).

He will be joined by David Teves (249), Zianbeau Edoc (268).and Anton Zingapan (273),who defeated John Gomez also in a playoff for the fourth spot.

“It was a tough competition as several of the categories were decided by playoffs,” said Gan. “It was a successful event because our young golfers from Visayas and Mindanao joined the tournament.”

Other winners and IMG qualifiers include Tristan Padilla (227), Geoffrey Tan (232) Patrick Tambalque (233) and Rafael Leonio (234) in 13-14 boys; Alessandra Luciano (245), Celine Abalos (251), Tashanah Balangauan (253) and Isabella Tabanas (257) in 13-14 girls; Vito Sarines (234), Chan Ahn (237), Jared Saban (237) and Race Manhit (254) in 9-10 boys; and Quincy Pilac (242), Aerin Chan (271), Rafella Batican (273) and Makayla Verano (284) in 9-10 girls.

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 16-22 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.