FOR the first time, the Philippine flag will fly proudly at the 2025 US Open Polo Championship when Rep. Mikee Romero and his Globalport Polo team take on the world’s best in Wellington, Florida.
Globalport will make history as the first team in Asia to compete in the renowned championship from March 24 to April 20 this year.
For the first time, the tournament will feature a Filipino and a team carrying the Philippine flag.
The team’s coming stint signals the growing inroads of the Philippines in international polo and is expected to bring new excitement to the sport in the country and Southeast Asia.
It’s not the first time Romero, a three-term congressman and one of the country’s most prominent sportsmen and SEA Games bronze medalist, will play under the Philippine tricolor. He has already represented the country in several international polo competitions but it will be the first time he would play on the sport’s biggest stage.
Romero, a former varsity basketball player, has been a leading figure in Philippine sports, involved in basketball, cycling, shooting, volleyball, and polo, among others. He was elected party-list representative of 1-Pacman in 2016. His business interests include port operations, airlines, and power.
“It’s a big honor for me to represent the country in this US Open,” said Romero, whose third term as 1-Pacman party list representative ends in June. “While qualifying for the US Open is an accomplishment enough, we hope to make an impact on the competition as we mount a challenge on the dominance of the established powers of the polo world.”
Globalport Polo goes into the 2025 competition with a formidable lineup led by one of the best players in the world — Argentina’s Barto Castagnola.
Ranked No. 2 globally, Castagnola is coming off an impressive victory in the Argentine Open and the UK Gold Cup. His experience and skill will be invaluable to the team, which also includes 17-year-old prodigy Beltran Laughle, a 6-goaler who is making a name for himself as one of the sport’s most promising young talents.
Rounding out the team is Lucas Alberdi, an American-born player known for his strategic approach and solid performance on the field.
The US Polo Open, organized by the United States Polo Association (USPA), is the most prestigious polo tournament globally, boasting a rich 120-year history. Held annually in Wellington, the 22-goal competition attracts the world’s finest polo players.
The 2024 US Polo Open championship, which served as the backdrop for the Netflix series Polo, has generated widespread interest in the game.
The series, produced by Prince Harry and Meghan of Sussex, UK, offered an inside look at the intense competition and drama surrounding the event, further cementing the US Polo Open’s reputation as the sport’s premier showcase.
All eyes will be on Globalport Polo as it prepares to debut in the competition.
