LIPA, Batangas – La Salle-1’s Julia Lua and Ateneo-2’s Shane Tan are poised to ignite one of Philippine sports’ most storied rivalries – this time, not on the hardwood but on the fairways – as the ICTSI Intercollegiate Tour fires off Tuesday, Sept. 23, at the Summit Point Golf and Country Club here.

Both leg winners – Lua reigning at Royal Northwoods and Tan emerging triumphant at Pradera Verde – bring firepower, focus and a shared hunger to dominate in the opening round of the three-day Finals. Their showdown is tipped to be one of the tournament’s marquee matchups, a duel packed with sparks, tension and the weight of school pride.

Yet the battle for the women’s individual crown promises more than a two-player contest. Six of the country’s most talented collegiate golfers are likewise eyeing the top spot in the ladies’ division of this historic Tour co-developed by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and the Philippine Golf Foundation.

Among them is UP-1’s Addie Manhit, who has quietly assembled one of the most consistent campaigns this season, including a breakout victory at Caliraya Springs. She tees off at 7:30 a.m., paired with fellow contenders CSB-1’s Natasha Bantug, Ateneo-2’s Tatiana Ong, and La Salle-1’s Stacey Chua – each determined to play spoiler to the Lua-Tan headline act.

Meanwhile, Lua and Tan are set for an early 7:20 a.m. tee-off alongside two rising stars: UP-1’s Katrisse Datoc and CSB-1’s Olivia Bermudo.

In the men’s division, another explosive matchup looms between La Salle-1’s Zachary Castro and CSB-1’s Sean Granada, both leg winners in their own right. Castro, who topped the Pradera Verde leg, squares off with Granada, the surprise victor in stormy conditions at Splendido Taal. They are joined in the 8:20 a.m. flight by Ateneo-1’s Schmuel Tan and La Salle-2’s Lucas Aldeguer in a high-stakes grouping expected to shape the leaderboard early.

Team honors are also up for grabs in both the men’s and women’s divisions, further elevating the intensity of the Finals.

While the Lua-Tan duel is a highlight in its own right, it also carries the added drama of an enduring institutional rivalry that has defined Philippine collegiate sports for decades. La Salle vs. Ateneo is synonymous with fever-pitch basketball games and packed arenas – but with golf emerging as a new battleground, that same competitive spirit is migrating to the greens.

Marking a long-overdue milestone in Philippine golf, the IIT signals a bold new era for the sport at the university level. For years, golf lagged behind other disciplines in terms of structure and developmental support. This Tour not only bridges that gap but also establishes a platform for young talents to thrive.

Had a structured collegiate golf program been established earlier, the country might already have a stronger pool of homegrown talents competing at the professional and international levels. Many promising junior players simply faded from the scene, with no clear pathway from youth golf to the elite ranks.

Now, with support from ICTSI, this gap is finally being addressed. The IIT is not just a sporting event; it’s a visionary step toward creating a true ecosystem for student-athletes, where academic excellence, competitive development and career progression all coexist.

The IIT aims to elevate golf as a legitimate varsity sport, integrating World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points into the competition to offer players global exposure. More than just fighting for trophies, these student-athletes are now gaining international recognition and real opportunities to pursue scholarships or professional careers.

By investing in the sport’s future at the grassroots level, ICTSI has taken the lead in shaping the next generation of Filipino golfers – an initiative that should have been set in motion long ago.

But now that the wheels are turning, the promise is real. The IIT is not just rewriting the playbook – it’s finally writing the first chapter of what should have been a storied history in Philippine collegiate golf.

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