SAN RAFAEL, Bulacan – University of the Philippines-1’s Joshua Buenaventura showcased mental fortitude, composure and competitive fire as he launched his campaign in the ICTSI Intercollegiate Tour in stirring fashion – firing a three-under 69 to capture the men’s individual crown in Friday’s opening round at the Royal Northwoods Golf Club here.

Buenaventura also spearheaded UP-1’s victorious team effort, combining with Miggy Roque’s 77 to post a 146 aggregate and power the Diliman-based squad to the men’s team title in the first leg of the four-stage series, which culminates in the grand finals on Sept. 23-25 at Splendido Taal. Emilio Carpio also turned in a 77 for UP-1 but didn’t count in the three-to-play, two-to-count format.

La Salle-1 took second in team play with a 150 total, led by Zachary Castro’s 71 and Jose Lorenzo Flores’ 79, while Ateneo-2 placed third with a 151 behind Ricardo Joson’s ace-boosted 73 and Matthew Mendoza’s 78.

“It’s all about practice and hard work,” said Buenaventura, 20. “My iron play and putting were the highlights of my game, especially since I wasn’t driving particularly well today.”

Reflecting on their win, Buenaventura added: “The campus battle was really nice, especially with this being our first victory. It feels pretty good.” He also looked ahead with optimism, saying, “Hopefully, we’ll do even better in the next round. We have high expectations, and with more training, we’re aiming for another championship.”

In the women’s division, La Salle-1’s Julia Lua overcame a rollercoaster round of 84 to edge UP-1’s Adrienne Manhit (87) by three strokes and become the inaugural women’s individual champion of the tour, developed by the Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and the Philippine Golf Foundation to deliver elite-level play for varsity and independent entries.

Ateneo-1’s Monique Mendoza finished third with an 89.

Lua, 19, credited her fairway woods for helping her salvage the round, saying, “I relied on them a lot to save my score throughout the round.”

She also emphasized adaptability amid shifting weather conditions: “The key was really adjusting to the course. The rain came on and off, and the wind picked up at times, so I had to stay flexible and make adjustments as much as I could.”

Lua echoed Buenaventura’s sentiment on the inter-campus atmosphere: “The campus battle is definitely exciting. It’s fun to see how other teams match up against ours. It’s great to see so many women playing well – the competition is really strong.”

Lua had previously ruled the tour’s soft launch at Sherwood Hills last month, while Buenaventura tied for third, both proving their readiness for high-stakes competition.

But it was Ateneo-1 that clinched the women’s team title, with Mendoza and Simi Tinio turning in rounds of 89 and 90 for a 179 total – seven strokes ahead of La Salle-1’s Lua and Janine Yusay, who combined for a 186.

UP-1 claimed third with a 188 aggregate behind Manhit’s 87 and Katrisse Datoc’s 101. Mendoza highlighted the team’s focus heading into the tournament, saying, “We had individual training to help us perform well today. Our main expectation was just to have fun, meet other players, and get a feel for the course – especially with the weather being so unpredictable.”

She added, “We’re hoping to focus more on training and team building moving forward.”

Buenaventura’s 69 was anchored on five birdies against two bogeys, showcasing his sharp shotmaking, putting, and course management. After teeing off on No. 2 in a shotgun start, he found rhythm early with a birdie-bogey-birdie stretch from No. 3.

He edged Castro, who rebounded from two-over with birdies on Nos. 11, 12, and 15 to finish with a 71, playing in the same flight as Buenaventura.

Joson finished third individually with a 73, highlighted by a hole-in-one on his very first hole, the 148-yard No. 7, using a Miura CB-302 8-iron and a TaylorMade TP5x Pix ball.

The ace, Joson’s first, earned him P5,000 in cash and P5,000 worth of consumables from the host club, adding a highlight to his solid round.

Meanwhile, University of the Cordilleras’ Ranz Balay-odao impressed in his debut, matching College of St. Benilde’s Sean Granada with a 74 to share fourth place, proving his ability to contend against the Metro Manila-based squads.

Both Buenaventura and Lua, along with the winning teams, earned 15 points toward the race to the grand finals, where the top three teams and individuals – including independents –will qualify based on their best two finishes from the four-leg series.

The men’s tour resumes with Round 2 on July 27 at Splendido Taal. The women’s division returns on Aug. 9 at Caliraya Springs in Cavinti, Laguna, with Round 3 for both set at Pradera Verde on Aug. 11.

The men’s final leg will be staged on Aug. 17 at Beverly Hills Golf Club in Pampanga, while the women’s Round 4 will be held on Aug. 24 at Eastridge Golf Club in Rizal.