PATTAYA, Thailand – Two years after a medal-less campaign in Cambodia, Philippine golf once again came up empty as its much-hyped medal hopes dissolved into another moment of despair at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games here.
Rolando Bregente and the women’s team showed flashes of promise in the final round, briefly stirring hopes of a bronze medal finish. But when the pressure mounted, both sides wavered, ultimately settling for another shutout – an outcome that spoke volumes about the current state of the national golf program.
Bregente, whose opening-round 65 – and Rianne Malixi’s lead-grabbing 70 on Thursday – sparked optimism of a Philippine breakthrough in individual play, launched one last comeback with three birdies over the first six holes, echoing his fiery backside start in Round 1.
Just as he appeared to have Siam Country Club Rolling Hills figured out and edged closer to bronze contention, the Lyceum standout stumbled with a bogey on the eighth. Though he regrouped with a birdie on No. 10, it proved to be his final push.
Costly bogeys on Nos. 12 and 13 halted his momentum, and after a stretch of steady pars, Bregente faltered once more with a bogey on the 18th to card a closing 72.
His four-under 284 placed him tied for fifth – a respectable finish for a SEA Games debutant, but ultimately disappointing given how strongly he began the tournament. Once again, the pressure of delivering a long-awaited medal weighed heavily on a player and a program desperate for redemption in a sport the Philippines once dominated.
On the women’s side, Rianne Malixi, Grace Quintanilla and Junia Gabasa mounted a final-day charge despite being out of individual medal contention. Their combined three-under 141 in the last round, however, fell agonizingly short.
Malixi fired an eagle-spiked 70, while either Quintanilla or Gabasa’s 71 counted toward the team total. The Philippines finished with a four-day aggregate of 20-over 596, good for fourth place – just one stroke behind Indonesia, which claimed the bronze at 595.
Thailand completed a stunning sweep of the sport, asserting dominance in all four gold medals.
The Thais were particularly overwhelming in women’s individual play, delivering a rare sweep of the gold, silver and bronze medals. Prachnakorn Prim sealed gold with a nine-under 279 after a closing 66, defeating erstwhile leader Kaopattanaskul Kritchanya, who slipped to a 74 and finished at 285. Rubrong Pimpisa surged with a final-round 68 to grab bronze at 288, edging Vietnam’s Le Chuc An.
Malixi finished sixth at 297, Gabasa placed 13th at 306, and Quintanilla ended 15th at 309.
Thailand also dominated the women’s team event, posting a scorching 10-under 134 in the final round for a runaway gold at 558. Singapore took silver at 593.
In men’s individual play, Thailand’s Pongsapak Laopakdee captured gold with a commanding 20-under 260 despite a closing 71. Vietnam’s Nguyen Anh Minh rallied with a 69 to claim silver at 269, while Thai Parin Sarasmut secured bronze at 272.
Bregente finished tied for fifth with Thailand’s Thanawin Lee, who surged with a final-round 68. Chris Remata plummeted to joint 17th after an 80-297, Perry Bucay placed 22nd after a 76-302, and Shinichi Suzuki retired after a front-nine 49.
Thailand capped its dominance by crushing the men’s team competition with a staggering 32-under 832, beating Indonesia (223-851) by 19 strokes. Vietnam took bronze with 214-857), followed by Singapore (225-878), Malaysia (225-879), and the Philippines, which ended sixth at 883 after a 226.
Thus ended another SEA Games campaign for Philippine golf, a sport where officials once confidently pinned medal hopes. While golf remains unpredictable – demanding consistency, precision and mental toughness – the back-to-back shutouts in the last two SEA Games underscore a sobering reality.
The program, as it stands, is not competitive at the regional level.
