Close to 50 junior golfers from around the world are headed to Mindanao next week as the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines (JGFP) rolls out the inaugural JGFP World Junior Team Championship at Apo Golf and Country Club in Davao City from April 16 to 19.

Among the foreign entries, Thailand’s Namon Luangnitikul stands out as one of the most intriguing names in the 13–18 Division 1 field.

The younger sister of highly touted Thai amateur Namo Luangnitikul, Namon is beginning to build her own résumé on the regional junior circuit and now gets the stage to herself in Davao.

The tournament, organized by the JGFP with support from the National Golf Association of the Philippines, will give local standouts a rare opportunity to test themselves against a truly international field without leaving home.

JGFP president Oliver Gan expressed his excitement as the group launches this first ever tournament, which will have as special guests Senator Bong Go, the senate’s sports committee chief, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Patrick Gregorio and Apo golf president Leo Magno hitting the ceremonial tee.

“We’re very much grateful and at the same time thrilled to have this kind of tournament for our young golfers that is supported by our sports leaders. This is part of the JGFP program, hoping to elevate the level of our young golfers by bringing in foreign participants,” said Gan, who likewise credited former Pampanga congressman Mikey Arroyo for backing the event.

Namon has recently been highlighted in the Asian Junior Masters, where she topped her class and drew comparisons to her older sister after both siblings recorded wins in their respective age groups.

She also saw action in JGFPlinked events, including previous Interclub campaigns where Thailand’s junior squads stamped their class against Philippine teams, giving her early experience with local conditions and Filipino competition.

At Apo, Namon is expected to anchor ThailandTGA’s challenge in the 13–18 Division 1 category, bringing a confident allaround game and familiarity with regional elite fields.

With her surname already well known in Asian junior golf thanks to Namo’s exploits in WAGR events and the Malaysian Ladies Amateur Open, the younger Luangnitikul has a chance to carve out her own storyline in the Philippines.

She will lead a deep foreign contingent that includes players from the United States, Malaysia, China, Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Myanmar, and an “AR International” squad made up of juniors from Vietnam, Germany, India and Singapore.

For the Philippine juniors, it is a chance to gauge where they stand against emerging talents.

For Namon Luangnitikul, Apo Golf could be the venue where she steps out of her sister’s shadow and introduces herself as a contender in her own right.