Arevalo takes last SEAG golf spot; Saso alternate

MANILA, Philippines – Abby Arevalo hopes to complement Bianca Pagdanganan and Lois Kaye Go’s games as the San Jose State University product completes the Philippine team vying in the 30th SEA Games women’s golf competitions on December 4-8 at Luisita Golf and Country Club in Tarlac.

The National Golf Association of the Philippines named Arevalo as the country’s third player after Pagdanganan and Go, members of the 2018 Asian Games gold medal team, confirmed their participation in the biennial meet.

Yuka Saso, the Asiad gold medalist and the leading player in the local ranks today, passed up the chance to lead another Philippine title drive due to scheduling conflicts. Eyeing a spot in the pros, she is set to compete in the LPGA of Japan Tour Qualifying set in the same week of the SEAG.

Saso, however, is officially listed as the first alternate even as she reiterated her desire to suit up for Team Philippines if her schedule permits. Harmie Constantino, recent winner of the Georgia Women’s Open, is the second alternate.

But with Arevalo, the team boasts of a player who had posted three career victories while with the SJSU Athletics. The 5-5 shotmaker also had 14 top 10 and six other top 20 finishes in her career she spiked with a victory in a local pro tournament at Riviera in 2017.

Arevalo was also the best-placed Pinay at joint seventh in the 2019 World Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship in Japan.

Pagdanganan, who bagged the 2018 Asian Games individual bronze, is also actually seeking a berth in the LPGA Tour next year and she underscored her readiness by topping Stage 1 of the grueling elims, the first Filipina to do so while Go is the reigning Philippine Amateur champion, who also helped power Team International win the 2019 Arnold Palmer Cup in Arkansas last June as member of the University of South Carolina squad.

Earlier, the NGAP named Luis Castro as the fourth member of the men’s squad composed of Aidric Chan, Carl Corpus and Sean Ramos with Gab Manotoc as alternate.

Coaches are Boyet Saragoza (women’s) and Miko Alejandro (men’s) while Rolly Romero is the team manager.

The Philippines is eyeing to duplicate the country’s sweep of the men’s individual and team gold medals when it last hosted the SEAG in 2005 with the women’s team ending up with silver in both categories.

In the last SEAG in Kuala Lumpur in 2017, Go averted a medal shutout for Team Philippines, grabbing the bronze in the individual competitions which she led in the first round with Thai duo of Atthaya Thitikul and Thitapa Pakdeesettakul taking the gold and silver medals, respectively.

Thitikul will still spearhead the Thai team that includes Kan Banbodee and Pimnipa Panthong while Vanchai Luangnitikul, Denwit David Boriboonsub, Nopparat Panichphol and Thanapat Pichaikul banner the men’s side.