CAGAYAN DE ORO – Team North will open its title defense in the ICTSI Elite Junior PGT Finals with a simple formula: play clean, stay patient and keep the pressure on until host South cracks.
But with South armed with home-course familiarity, a deeper pool of battle-tested qualifiers and a determined bid to avenge last year’s defeat, North knows it cannot afford to take anything for granted when the Ryder Cup-style championship gets under way Tuesday (Aug. 18) at Pueblo de Oro Golf and Country Club.
Coach Joey Anciano has stressed teamwork and smart decision-making as the keys to North’s campaign, particularly in the opening four-ball and foursomes matches where partnerships and momentum can quickly swing the complexion of the competition.
“Our main focus is teamwork and keeping the pressure on. In both formats, we want our players to play smart, stay patient, and trust their partners,” said Anciano.
“But the goal is to play clean golf and let them make the mistakes,” he added.
That approach will be tested immediately as North faces a South side determined to turn its local knowledge into an early lead.
The Southerners are expected to draw confidence from their familiarity with Pueblo de Oro, particularly in the delicate shots around the greens, while several new faces have strengthened the lineup after earning places through the grueling six-leg regional qualifying series.
South also believes that knowing the course can provide the kind of small but potentially decisive edge that matters in match play – where a good read on a breaking putt, knowledge of a difficult landing area or confidence on a particular approach can turn a halved hole into a lost point for the opposition.
North, however, has already shown it can thrive under pressure.
The defending champions stormed to a commanding 26 1/2-21 1/2 victory over South in last year’s inaugural showdown at The Country Club, and Anciano’s charges are confident they have enough depth and firepower to reproduce that performance – or improve on it – even on what figures to be hostile turf.
With points at a premium across all age groups, including the 7-10, 11-14 and 15-18 categories, North knows that depth could prove just as important as star power.
Anciano has kept his final pairings under wraps, emphasizing that the strength of his roster gives him plenty of options before the opening tee shots.
“The great thing about this team is that every single player is strong, so no matter how we order our pairs, we’re confident we can win points from the very first match to the last,” Anciano said. “We’ll save the final order for game day.”
That flexibility could prove crucial in a competition where momentum often carries from one match to the next.
