CAVINTI, Laguna. — Julia Lua returns to action as the marked player when the ICTSI Intercollegiate Tour resumes with Round 2 of the ladies’ division at Caliraya Springs Golf Club Saturday, armed with a streak of confidence-boosting wins and a game that continues to mature with every round.
The La Salle-1 standout has proven to be the most consistent performer in the early stretch of the pioneering campus-based tour, dominating the Sherwood Hills launch before clinching the Round 1 individual title with an 84 at Royal Northwoods Golf Club, Inc. in Bulacan last month.
That back-to-back run has installed the 19-year-old shotmaker as the player to beat on a course known for exposing even the slightest weakness.
But her path to another triumph won’t be easy.
Standing in her way is a determined field led by UP-1’s Adrienne Manhit, who finished just behind Lua in Royal Northwoods and is keen to avenge that near-miss. Known for her steady ball-striking and competitive fire, Manhit is expected to push Lua to the limit on Caliraya’s rolling terrain, where uneven lies, elevated greens and swirling winds pose a serious test.
Also primed for a breakthrough are CSB’s Natasha Bantug, UP’s KatrisseDatoc and Lua’s own La Salle teammates Janine Yusay and Margarita Bautista, along with Enderun Colleges’ Kristyanna Herrera and Mapua’sRane Cabling.
Each player brings a different dimension to the field – length, short-game finesse, or course management – adding intrigue to an expected tight leaderboard chase.
While Lua’s eyes are fixed on sustaining her dominance in the individual race, she’s equally focused on leading La Salle-1 to the team title after falling just short to Ateneo-I in Round 1. With UP-1 also in the mix and looking to climb from a third-place team finish, Round 2 could well determine the shifting balance of power in the team standings.
The three-to-play, two-to-count format demands depth and resiliency, often putting pressure on a team’s third player to deliver under pressure. It’s a format that rewards consistency but also leaves room for surprise standouts to change the tide.
The four-round Tour, co-developed by the Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and the Philippine Golf Foundation, is a developmental platform aimed at unearthing young talent, strengthening school pride and laying down pathways toward the pros. The series is open to school teams and individual entries across various regions and leagues, fostering broad participation and competitive growth.
Also set to compete at Caliraya are CSB’s Angeline Hernandez, La Salle’s Stacey Chan, JillianaOrdoña, Michelle Cuenca, Leanne Dy, Maddie Valderrama, and Nicole Tan, along with UP’s AlyannaYatco, each hoping to make a mark in a stacked field.
Round 3 unfolds immediately on Aug. 11 at the expansive Pradera Verde Golf and Country Club in Lubao, Pampanga, running concurrently with the men’s tournament. The final men’s round is set Aug. 17 at Beverly Hills Golf Club, also in Pampanga, while the ladies return for their final round on Aug. 24 at Eastridge Golf Club in Binangonan, Rizal.
The season-ending three-day finals will take place from Sept. 23 to 25 at the exacting SplendidoTaal Golf Club.
