The Provincial Government of Camarines Sur hosted its first-ever 2 Club Challenge at the Pili Grove Golf Club, Capitol Complex, Cadlan, Pili on August 20, 2022. With fair weather on the Saturday morning, 45 golfers and golf-enthusiasts from the province of Camarines Sur and Naga City joined the first tournament.
Known as the Adventure and Sports Capital of the Philippines, CamSur hosted the challenge to not only promote golf as a sport but to further boost the promotion of the province’s sport tourism. Since the opening of the Pili Grove Golf Club in 2021, it has encouraged and inspired many golf-enthusiasts in the province to try and pursue golf both as hobby and a sport.
Melody Bascuña, one of the golfers from San Felipe, Naga City who joined the challenge, shared her new-found love for golf, “I started golfing in December 2021 when I knew of the opening of the golf course here in Pili and heard that it was open for everybody. At first it was only for fun, until it became a hobby where I would be here at least twice a week. Now, I am here in my first tournament with my first trophy.”
Bascuña joined her first official golf tournament during the 2 Club Challenge and won the championship trophy for the women’s category. “I was really happy and it felt rewarding winning after weeks of practice and preparation,” she continued.
According to Bascuña, she wouldn’t have discovered her love for golf if it wasn’t for the opening of the Pili Grove Golf Club. It is now one of her goals to encourage more people, especially women, to try golf and join their growing community.
Gracing the tournament are Governor Luigi Villafuerte, Congressman Lray Villafuerte, and Congressman Hori Horibata who also played and joined the challenge.
The very first winners of the golf challenge for the men’s category are:
Champion – Ricky Asentista
1st Runner Up – Alex Marinas
2nd Runner Up – Tony Diaz
And for women’s category:
Champion – Melody Bascuña
1st Runner Up – Ely Yoshida
2nd Runner Up – Nicole Marie Quiñones
The champion for men’s category received a trophy and a cash prize of P20,000, while the champion for women’s category received a trophy and a cash prize of P15,000. Both 1st runner up in each category received a trophy and P10,000, while the 2nd runner up received a trophy and a cash prize of P5,000.
With the exciting turnout from the growing community of golfers in the province, Governor Luigi and Congressman Lray announced a monthly golf challenge and a championship every six months.
