27 May 2010: 18 year-old Lawrence Celestino booked his place in the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final with a wire-to-wire victory in the second Faldo Series Philippines Championship at TAT Filipinas Golf Club in San Pedro.
Having led after round one, Celestino showed his class on day two with a level par round of 72 in tough conditions, the lowest round of the tournament. He then cruised to a 75 in the third and final round to finish on 223, three ahead of overall runner up Agustin Mata. 16 year-old Mata claimed the Boys’ Under-16 title on 226 and will join Celestino at the Grand Final in China, to be hosted by Sir Nick Faldo at Mission Hills Golf Club next March.
Aged only 13, Princess Superal was a convincing winner in the girls’ category to claim the third and final automatic qualifying spot at Mission Hills. The talented teenager finished on 235, five ahead of Mia Legaspi.
Last year’s winner Jobim Carlos was unable to defend his title due to a last minute international call up, however more than 50 other talented young golfers from The Philippines and further afield, boys and girls aged 12 to 21, experienced top level competition under strict tournament conditions at TAT Filipinas, located 30 minutes drive from Manila and known for its environmental sustainability and social programmes.
Underwritten by six-time Major winner Faldo, the Faldo Series Asia is supported by major partners ISPS, Mission Hills and The R&A as well as official golf wear partner Alpine Creations. It is also endorsed by the Asian Tour and the Asia Pacific Golf Federation (APGC).
The Philippines Championship was the second tournament on the 2010/2011 Faldo Series Asia schedule, which features a record 17 tournaments in 12 different countries including six in mainland China plus others in Singapore, Vietnam, Bahrain, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Indonesia and Thailand. It concludes in March 2011 with the fifth Asian Grand Final, an R&A World Amateur Golf Ranking event on the Faldo Course at Mission Hills, home of the Faldo Series Asia.
Further to the success of the Faldo Series Europe, launched in 1996, the Faldo Series Asia was established in 2006 to help develop the region’s next generation of champions. Over 30 tournaments now take place in more than 25 countries across the UK, Europe, South America, the Middle East and Asia and former winners include recent Tour champions Rory McIlroy (PGA Tour) and Melissa Reid (Ladies European Tour). Other graduates include European Tour winners Nick Dougherty and Marc Warren, India’s number one amateur Rashid Khan and Chinese Taipei’s two-time LPGA Major winner Yani Tseng.
The 2009/2010 Faldo Series Asia boys’ title was won by 14 year-old Masamichi Ito from Japan and the girls’ title by Thidapa Suwannapura, 17, of Thailand, who has also since won the Handa Junior Masters in Australia and the 108th Malaysian Amateur Open. Ito and Suwannapura will both be invited to play in a professional tournament on the Asian Tour and Ladies European Tour respectively and also in the Faldo Series Europe Grand Final, to be played over the Faldo Course at the Lough Erne Resort in Northern Ireland on September 21-23.
Leading final scores: Boys’ Under-21: 223 – Lawrence Celestino (76-72-75); 234 – Joey Huerva (82-74-78); 236 – Khris Etter (78-76-82). Boys’ Under-16: 226 – Agustin Mata (77-74-75); 234 – Aristeo Mata (79-75-80); 235 – Yo Chen Chang (80-77-78), Paolo Uy (83-74-78). Girls’ Under-21: 235 – Princess Superal (80-80-75); 240 – Mia Legaspi (79-83-78); 241 – Marvi Monsalve (80-80-81).