As Addie Manhit and the UP-1 squad aim to sustain their momentum following a resounding surge in Round 3 at Pradera Verde, attention also returns to La Salle-1’s Julia Lua, who is expected to return for the final leg of the ICTSI Intercollegiate Tour (ladies division), which fires off Sunday, Aug. 24, at the Eastridge Golf Club in Binangonan, Rizal.
Manhit, who placed second to Ateneo-2’s Shane Tan in the previous round, soared to the top of the individual leaderboard with 27 points, highlighted by a commanding 15-point performance in Round 2 at Caliraya Springs. She also secured a runner-up finish in the opening leg at Royal Northwoods – an impressive campaign that has earned her an early ticket to the grand finals.
Organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. in partnership with the Philippine Golf Foundation, the four-round tour aims to reshape the landscape of collegiate golf by providing a competitive yet development-driven platform for student-athletes transitioning from junior golf.
The final leg at Eastridge will be crucial, as it determines the qualifiers for the grand finals on Sept. 23-25 at Splendido Taal Golf Club. Only players who competed in at least two preliminary legs and earned ranking points will be eligible. The top 8 teams, and ties, in both the men’s and ladies’ divisions will also advance.
Manhit holds a slim edge in the individual race, trailed by Ateneo-1’s Simi Tinio with 18 points. Lua, who won the pre-season event at Sherwood Hills and dominated Round 1 at Royal Northwoods, is tied for third with Tan at 15 points.
Despite sitting out the last two rounds due to health reasons, Lua is expected to return in top form and spearhead La Salle-1’s charge.
But Lua won’t be alone in the title chase. Other heavy hitters in contention include teammates Janine Yusay and Stacey Chua; Ateneo-1’s Monique Mendoza and Andrea Joson; College of St. Benilde’s Natasha Bantug; and Katrisse Datoc of UP-1.
In team competition, UP-1, powered by Manhit and Alyanna Yatco, leads the field with 30 points. La Salle-1, with Lua, Yusay, and Chan, trails with 24 points, while Ateneo-2 sits third with 18, backed by Tan, Annika Jalbuena, and Tatiana Ong. CSB (15), Ateneo-1 (14), and La Salle-3 (14) are all within striking distance, setting up a high-stakes showdown for the final qualifying slots.
