Blue Eagles top Stroke Play and Match Play to win Interschool Golf Tournament title

Composed of student-athletes from all three Ateneo de Manila Basic Education schools—the Grade School (AGS), Junior High School (AJHS), and Senior High School (ASHS)—Team Ateneo de Manila completed a remarkable campaign by winning the SY 2025–2026 Play Golf Interschool Golf Tournament Championship. The Blue Eagles captured the Match Play Round title in a knockout battle among the top eight schools, adding it to their earlier triumph in the Stroke Play Championship. The 16-man roster of the Ateneo Selection Team was comprised of EC Aguirre (5-Maguindanao), Rupert Cariño (2-Dao), Matteo dela Cruz (4-Magat Salamat), Luis Espinosa (6-Xavier), Marco Iglesia (4-Humabon), and Datu Villamor (2-Acacia) from AGS; Rajah Crisostomo (10-Pongracz), Juanton Cruz (8-Collins), Xandrei David (9-Isore), Iñigo Gallardo (8-Dajani), Lujo Gomez (8-Fujishima), Race Manhit (7-Alvares), and Aenzo Sulaik (10-Spinola) from AJHS; James Carlos (11-Mayer), Ty Go (11-Tsuji), and Milo Pastor (11-Campion) from ASHS.    

The tournament began on 8 November 2025 at Caliraya Springs Golf Club and concluded on 15 February 2026 at Royal Northwoods Golf and Country Club in Bulacan. There, Ateneo secured the overall championship in a thrilling 3–2 finals victory over De La Salle Zobel.

Entering the Match Play round as the #1 seed after a dominant Stroke Play performance across eight legs, Ateneo faced Xavier School in the semifinals on 14 February and won three of five matches to advance to the championship round.

Representing Ateneo in the semifinals were:

• Rajah Crisostomo – Singles
• Ty Go – Singles
• Aenzo Sulaik & Xandrei David – Best Ball
• Iñigo Gallardo & Luis Espinosa – High-Low
• Race Manhit & Juanton Cruz – Aggregate

Iñigo & Luis won their High-Low semifinal match, Aenzo & Xandrei prevailed in the Best Ball semifinals, while Race & Juanton secured victory in the Aggregate semifinals.  

In the finals, Ateneo once again demonstrated depth, composure, and resilience under pressure. De La Salle Zobel struck first in the Singles matches, with TJ Padilla defeating Luis Espinosa (5&3) and Rafael Leonio overcoming James Carlos (6&4). The Blue Eagles responded emphatically in the team formats.

Luis Espinosa and James Carlos competed in Singles, while the following pairings represented Ateneo in the team events:

• Rajah Crisostomo & Milo Pastor – Best Ball
• Iñigo Gallardo & Lujo Gomez – High-Low
• Race Manhit & Juanton Cruz – Aggregate

Crisostomo and Pastor delivered a crucial and deciding match with a 4&2 victory in the Best Ball format. Gallardo and Gomez followed with a commanding 6&4 win in the High-Low format. The championship-clinching point came from Juanton Cruz and Race Manhit, who dominated their Aggregate match 7&6 to seal Ateneo’s 3–2 triumph.

Guided by Ateneo alumni-turned-coaches Marty Ilagan and Jong Castañeda, the team’s blend of leadership, teamwork, and steady execution proved decisive throughout both the Stroke Play and Match Play stages. 

More than a tournament victory, the championship stands as a triumph for Ateneo de Manila Basic Education. Bringing together golfers from the Grade School, Junior High School, and Senior High School, the roster embodied the strength, continuity, and shared spirit of excellence across the entire Ateneo formation journey. In the Stroke Play legs, AJHS and ASHS golfers finished strong and emerged as the top seed heading into the next round of competition, while the AGS Blue Eagles placed second overall. The Match Play round, meanwhile, required the school to field 8 top players for the semis and another 8 for the finals from the Grade School, Junior High School and Senior High School rosters, showcasing the depth and competitiveness of Ateneo’s golf program across all levels. 

From the opening leg in November to the final putt in February, the Blue Eagles displayed consistency, grit, and championship composure—bringing home both the Stroke Play and Match Play titles to complete a truly outstanding season.