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MANILA, Philippines – Lucas de Guzman did it again.
The seven-year-old golf wonder put together a three-day total of five-over par 96 as De Guzman won by two strokes to capture the title in the 7-under boys in the inaugural 2024 Malaysian Championship at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club on Thursday, March 7, in Kuala Lumpur.
De Guzman closed out the tournament with an even par 19 in Round 3 highlighted with a birdie on the difficult par-5 hole No. 3 to take the championship, and qualify to the US Kids Priority Status.
The win earned de Guzman, son of Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines director and influencer Lue de Guzman and Rommel de Guzman, a spot in the US Kids World Championship on August 1-3 in Pinehurst, North Carolina.
Now a Grade 2 student at Home School Global, he scored two-over par 38 in the opening round and three-over par 39 in the second round. Aside from the birdie on 3 in the third round, he also birdied on par-5 No. 6 and par-4 No. 8 in the first round and par-4 No. 4 in the second round.
De Guzman bested hometown bet Raiyan Mohd Amri, who finished second overall with a total score of 98, while Singapore’s Muhammad Devian Reyndra Adityawan of Indonesia placed third with a score of 110.
It was the second title for De Guzman abroad after he initially captured the top position in a tournament in San Ramon in California back in 2023. He also finished second overall in the US Kids in San Francisco and in the Srixon World Grand Finals early this year where he shot a career-best six under but lost by a stroke to Glory Lily Hong of Germany.
“I’m happy to win another championship,” said the young golfer who is being coached by Toch Altea, and coached/caddied by former junior golf champion and two-time Asian Tour winner Artemio Murakami – both crucial in the development of now LPGA tour mainstay Yuka Saso.
JGFP president Oliver Gan said that the accomplishment of De Guzman is a confirmation that the program of the association is on track as the goal is to improve the development of the young Filipino golfers.
“We congratulate Lucas de Guzman, we at JGFP are very proud and happy,” said Gan. “For us, the goal remains the same, that we develop our young golfers so in the future they represent us in bigger international competitions like the Southeast Asian Games, the Asian Games and the Olympics.” – Rappler.com
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