The first
thing Dennis Montecillo did after a pioneering stint in the 1974 San
Diego Junior World Championships as the sole Philippine representative
was to convince his parents, lawyer Manuel and Amalia Montecillo, to put
up a competition for local kids that would prepare them for the bigger
stage. Amalia who later on became more popularly called as Mommy, did
more than that.
Not only did she organize an annual summer circuit for boys and girls.
She also brought together parents and sponsors for a common cause of
breeding international champions that eventually became a solid
organization called the Philippine Junior Golf Association that later on became the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines.
Jungolf in the Philippines is believed to be the forerunner of all associations in the region.
Soon that same year when the young Dennis Montecillo arrived from a
competition in America, the jungolf dream was born. The very first
competition of Jungolf was played at the Wack-Wack West Course in
Manila, which drew about 130 participants, aged 17 below, from the
different corners of the country.
For the next 45 years, junior golfers from the Philippines made the
country proud in several golf tournaments around the world. The names of
Frankie Minoza, Carito Villaroman, Ramon Brobio, Angelo Que, Gerald
Rosales, Jennifer Rosales, Miguel Tabuena sprung like mushrooms, making the country
proud with victories in various fronts.
Even the country’s top CEOs and business heavyweights once played in
junior golf tournaments in their childhood. Cito Lorenzo, Sandy
Prieto-Romualdez and Tony Zara all have fond memories trying to win the
trophies for their parents and families.
True to its commitment of arming junior golfers with the necessary
skills they needed to putt against other golfers in the international
scene, Jungolf did not limit its scope within the boundaries of the
country.
To further provide its members with the much-needed exposure, Jungolf
expanded its coverage and opened its doors to foreign players through
the creation of the Asian Junior Golf Confederation in 1978 with Mommy
Montecillo at the helm.
With the organization of the Confederation, junior golfers in the
Philippines were given the avenue to be exposed to the different putting
styles of their Asian counterparts as they played against junior
players from Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore.
Jungolf members immediately showcased their skills as they exceeded the
expectations of the association when three of its players, Gil Ababa,
Abe Rosal Jr. and Tony Boy Asistio, bagged the 15-17, 12-14, and 11
under titles respectively in the staging of the first ever Asian junior
golf tournament in 1978.
The exposure and training provide by the Jungolf as well as the support
and encouragement of the Philippine government further bolstered the
putting talents of the country’s young players, who have began
collecting trophies for the Philippines in several golf tournaments
around Asia and the rest of the world.
Since its inception, Jungolf has produced golfers who turned
professionals, which include Frankie Minoza, Eddie Bagtas, Carito
Villaroman, Ramon Brobio, Mario Manubay, Noli Kempis, Gil and Cesar
Ababa, Antolin Fernando, Danny Zarate, Vince Lauron, Bong Lopez, Norman
Sto. Domingo, all of whom turned pro in different stages of their
careers.
It also boasts of amateurs who have become members of the National Golf
Team. They are Gerald Rosales, Angelo Que, Cookie Lao, Juami Rocha,
Gerald Cantada, Abe Rosal, Marlon Dizon, Jun Cedo, Boy Blue Ocampo, Tony
Boy Asistio, Ruby Chico, Carmelette Villaroman, and Aileen Rose Yao to
name a few.
Vision
Developing Philippine Golf’s Next Generation
Mission
To develop Philippine junior golfers through basic instruction and high
level competition in national and international tournaments
