Never has the RP team exuded so much confidence in the event behind an assembly of talented players led by pint-sized wonders in Wolen Superal and Dottie Ardina in the 9-10 years Class D bracket.
They will go up against a global field of 1,020 participants from more than 40 nations in the tourney — undoubtedly the largest jungolf bash in the world — that churned out the likes of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Nick Price, Amy Alcott and Nancy Lopez.
"The kids are excited and raring to go after all the buildup and preparations, and we hope to bring home a title or two," said Gerry Handog, president of the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines.
It has a winning tradition in the Junior World. Since 1975 when it first competed here under the leadership of jungolf founder Amalia Montecillo, the nation has won 14 titles, including a run of two in 1983 through Ramon Brobio and Carito Villaroman.
"We hope to duplicate this feat and draw inspirations from the efforts of Mrs. Montecillo," said Handog.
Although Superal, 10, and Ardina, 9, are fancied to emerge in strong contention in Class D in Pine Glen layout in Singing Hills, the RP team has an equally solid cast in Class E (8-and-below) with pocket threats from Miguel Tabuena, Bino dela Paz, JR Gonzales, JP de Claro and Cristina Potenciano, sixth placer last year.
Jayvie Agojo of O.B. Montessori, winner last week in a warm-up event at nearby Temecula, should be worth watching in Class A at Torrey Pines together with Florida-based Carl Santos-Ocampo. Miko Alejandro, Miguel Camitoc, Gino Bunyi, Linnel de Villa and Geleen Handog will banner RP’s bid in Class B.
Still, focus will be on Superal and Ardina, who won last year’s crown in the 8-and-under by nine shots, after the duo dominated the Samsung jungolf tour last summer back home, going unbeaten in 10 legs.
Superal, fifth grader at the Las Piñas Elementary School, was even imposing in seven practice rounds here, carding subpar rounds in all, including an eight-under last Saturday.
The par-58 Pine Glen–with four par 4s and 14 par 3s — appears to have been set up for the power- hitting Superal who could reach the par 4s on his drive.
"Di pa kami tumi-tee-off, four under na," said his father Wendy, a pro golfer, in a curious analogy of his son’s built-in advantage.
Superal, who has been nursing a cold since he set foot in California last week, is expected to find a talented rival in Adam Svenson of Surrey, Canada.
An even tougher outing awaits Ardina who will go up against Tanya Wadhawa of New Delhi, who won the event last year and reportedly even better in form this year.
Wadhwa entered the record books by setting a record victory margin of seven strokes.