Philippine golf teams launch dual Asian Games medal quest
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines begins its quest for Asian Games golf medals on Wednesday, September 30, with both its men’s and women’s teams facing formidable opposition, as a mix of experience, local knowledge and youthful talent takes aim at the country’s long-awaited breakthrough in the men’s division and a return to the top in the women’s side.
The men’s team of Miguel Tabuena, Justin delos Santos and Carl Corpus opens its campaign against defending champion Thailand and powerhouse China at the Kasugai Country Club’s East Course in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, in what promises to be an intense opening-day battle.
Tabuena, the country’s team spearhead, anchors the Philippine challenge in the marquee 8:25 a.m. flight on the first hole, where he will face Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana and China’s Wenyi Ding.
Delos Santos follows at 8:14 a.m., bringing with him years of experience playing in Japan and a familiarity with the course that could prove valuable as the Filipinos negotiate the East Course’s demands. He will go up against Thailand’s Poom Saksansin and China’s Yunhe Zheng.
Corpus gets the Philippine medal drive under way at 8:03 a.m., squaring off with Thailand’s Pongsapak Laopakdee and China’s Jin Zihao in the opening flight.
The three Filipinos will be making their first major team appearance together, but the combination brings together a blend of experience, course knowledge and hunger that could make the Philippines a factor in a competition expected to be dominated by some of Asia’s strongest golfing nations.
For the Philippines, the mission is clear: end the country’s long wait for a men’s golf gold medal while testing its depth against Thailand, China, Korea, Japan and Hong Kong.
The Philippines’ last won an individual gold medal at the 1986 Seoul Asian Games courtesy of Ramon Brobio, who now serves as the men's team coach.
The challenge is considerable.
Thailand arrives as the defending team champion, while Korea is determined to retain the team gold it captured in Hangzhou in 2023 behind Im Sung Jae, Kim Si Woo, Woo Young Cho and Yu Bin Jan. Thailand settled for silver in the previous edition, while Hong Kong continues its pursuit of an elusive team gold.
Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho, meanwhile, headlines the individual competition after capturing gold in Hangzhou, where he defeated Korea’s Im Sung Jae and Taiwan’s Hung Chein Yao.
Kho returns to the Asian Games spotlight in another high-profile grouping, drawing Korea’s Kim Joo Hyung and Japan’s Keita Nakajima at 8:20 a.m. The 8:09 a.m. flight features Hong Kong’s Matthew Cheung, Japan’s Kazuki Higa and Korea’s Kim Seonghyeon.
Amid the heavyweight names, however, the Philippines enters with a group of its own capable of making noise.
Tabuena, delos Santos and Corpus will have to withstand an early barrage from the region’s established powers, but their first-ever team-up also gives the country a fresh combination as it pursues a medal that has long eluded the men’s side.
The Philippines’ women’s team likewise begins its medal campaign Wednesday, with Bianca Pagdanganan, Pauline del Rosario and amateur standout Rianne Malixi carrying the country’s hopes of reclaiming the team title it won at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games.
The Filipinas face Indonesia, Singapore and Hong Kong in the opening two rounds, with the first day providing an immediate test of their ability to establish themselves among the leading contenders.
The ICTSI-backed Pagdanganan, fresh from a stint on the Epson Tour, sets out at 12:04 p.m. against Hong Kong’s Virgini Ding and Singapore’s Shannon Tan. The big-hitting Filipina will look to use her length and experience to seize early momentum for the Philippine side.
Del Rosario, competing in an event of this magnitude for the first time, tees off at 11:31 a.m. against Hong Kong’s Arianna Lau and Indonesia’s Elaine Widjaja.
Malixi completes the Philippine trio’s opening-day challenge, taking on Singapore’s Amanda Tan and Indonesia’s Holly Halim.
The Filipinas, however, know they will have to contend with a formidable Thai contingent led by Arpichaya Yubol, the LPGA campaigner who powered Thailand to a sweep of the individual and team gold medals in Hangzhou.
Yubol faces another LPGA-caliber opponent in China’s Ruoning Yin and Japan’s Aira Nagasawa in the 12:37 p.m. feature group, where the afternoon conditions could provide another layer of difficulty.
Thailand’s PK Kongkraphan, a former LPGA campaigner and multiple winner in Taiwan, the Philippines and Thailand, goes out at 12:26 p.m. against China’s Yan Liu and Japan’s Ai Goto.
Natthakritta Vongvateelap begins Thailand’s challenge at 12:15 p.m. against China’s Weiwei Zhang and Japan’s Mamika Shinchi.
With Japan also determined to make the most of home-course advantage, the stage is set for a wide-open and fiercely contested opening round in both divisions.
For the Philippines, Wednesday is more than the start of another Asian Games golf competition. It is the opening chapter of a two-pronged medal campaign: a men’s team seeking to break through after years of waiting, and a women’s squad chasing a return to the summit after its historic triumph in Jakarta.
With Tabuena, delos Santos and Corpus bringing experience and local knowledge on the men’s side, and Pagdanganan, del Rosario and Malixi combining power, experience and youthful promise among the women, the Philippines enters Aichi with medals firmly in its sights.
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