Fifteen-year-old Velinda Castil vowed to do better on her second shot at the pro level when the ICTSI Mimosa Plus Championship blasts off Tuesday, 26 September at the Mimosa Plus Golf Course at Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga.
Reeling from her bungled pro debut, Castil said she’s ready for big-time golf. And that’s saying a lot, coming from a 10th Grader from Manolo Fortich National High in Bukidnon.
Right after a joint runner-up effort at Del Monte Championship while on amateur status, Castil promptly turned pro in the next tournament that came by, the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour stop at South Pacific. But she missed the cut with an 87 score.
“I was so pressured since that was my first time to play as a pro,” Castil said.
Now virtually free of the burden to deliver, Castil hopes to dish out the game expected of her in the P1 million event put up by ICTSI, not necessarily targeting the championship but turning in a modest finish.
“I don’t have any expectations this week,” she said. “I do dream of becoming an LPGT champion but I don’t know when but I know that time will come.”
Castil was actually set to compete in the national finals of the ICTSI Junior PGT Series at The Country Club next month, having qualified following a second-place finish in the JPGT VisMin Classic earlier this month.
But by deciding to turn pro, she gave up the chance not only to measure up with her fellow junior golfers but also to possibly make the national team.
Looking forward to facing the likes of two-leg winners Daniella Uy and Harmie Constantino and South Pacific Classic champion Florence Bisera again, Castil underscored the need to polish her putting stroke, which could hold the key at Mimosa Plus.
