⛳ Legazpi Golf Diary: Thursday, December 4, 2025

 

Good morning! Here is today's Golf Diary, coming to you from Legazpi City, Philippines!

🏌️‍♀️ Beware of the "Showers" in Legazpi Today!

The weather forecast for Legazpi City today is a little unpredictable:

• Morning: ☀️ Sunny with a chance of ☔️ showers (brief rain).

• Afternoon: The forecast calls for ☀️ clear skies!

With a high of 32°C, it's going to be another hot, tropical day. If you are heading out for a morning round, make sure to keep your rain gear handy in your bag—just in case of a sudden "shower"!

🇵🇭 Yesterday's Philippine Political News: The Story Behind the Military/Police Pay Hike

Now, for a piece of interesting news from the Philippines yesterday.

President Marcos announced a plan to raise the basic salaries of military and uniformed personnel (including the police) over multiple years, starting from 2026 to 2028.

The timing of this announcement is significant: it comes right after a massive corruption scandal widened and some retired officers made serious remarks about "intervention," including the possibility of a coup. The pay raise is expected to serve as a short-term calming agent to ease the military's unrest. There is always drama behind the big events that shape a nation.

🌏 The World is a Golfing Paradise Today!

Somewhere in the world today, many golfers are surely hitting great shots under the blue sky! Let's all enjoy the day and never forget our love for golf.

📢 Japanese Quality is Best for Used Clubs!

Our shop sells high-quality used clubs carefully selected and "hand-carried" directly from Japan.

If you're thinking, "I want to try it out, but a new one is too expensive," please take a look at our website. You might find a hidden gem in excellent condition that only Japanese quality can offer!

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If you like what you see, please hit the "Like" button and share it with your friends!

To all the golfers out there, let's give it our best today! Nice birdie!

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☆ Philippines Golf News ☆

The main highlight for the Philippine golf community on December 3, 2025, was the final day of the Seniors Division of the "75th Fil-Am Invitational Golf Tournament."

🏌️‍♂️ 75th Fil-Am Invitational Golf Tournament

This is the largest amateur team competition in the country, held at the Baguio Country Club (BCC) and Camp John Hay (CJH) courses in Baguio City, Philippines.

• Dates: November 28 – December 13, 2025

• Venue: Baguio Country Club (BCC) & Camp John Hay (CJH)

Tuesday, December 3 marked the final day of the Seniors Division competition.

• The tournament is structured in two parts and attracts over 1,400 golfers.

• Seniors Division: November 28 – December 3 (Final Day)

• Regular Division: December 7 – December 13 (Held subsequently)

The tournament plays a vital role in positioning Baguio as a global golf destination, aligning with the Philippine government's push to expand sports tourism.

📢 Other Major Professional Golf Events

The 2025 season for the Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) concluded its final event, the ICTSI The Country Club Match Play Invitational (won by Keanu Jahns), on November 28. Therefore, there were no official professional tour events held on December 3.

However, the year 2025 featured the following major international event, where a Filipino player made headlines:

• International Series Philippines (Asian Tour)

• Dates: October 23 – 26, 2025

• Result: Local Filipino hero Miguel Tabuena claimed the victory, generating significant excitement.

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☆ US Men's Golf News ◇ December 3, 2025

On Tuesday, December 3, 2025, while the PGA Tour regular season was in its off-period, attention was focused on the Qualifying School (Q-School) to determine entry for the following season.

1. Second Stage of 2026 Season Q-School Begins

The Second Stage of the Q-School for the 2026 PGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour (minor league), and other circuits began at five venues across the United States.

• Standout Japanese Players!

• At the Savannah, Georgia venue (par 72), Ryuken Sogenji posted a "64" to take the solo lead at 8-under par for a strong start.

• In Arizona (par 70), Ryo Ishikawa shot an even-par "70," finishing the first day in a tie for 10th place and well within the cut line to advance to the Final Stage.

• Many Japanese players, including Satoshi Kodaira, Kaito Onishi, Riki Kawamoto, Yuta Sugiura, Taichiro Deriha, and Shiryu Ouyang, are competing in this qualifier.

2. News on Tiger Woods' Hosted Tournament

News was reported regarding the "Hero World Challenge," an unofficial tournament hosted by Tiger Woods (scheduled for early December).

• Hideki Matsuyama Confirmed to Play: It was announced that former champion Hideki Matsuyama would participate in the tournament for the first time in seven years, drawing considerable interest.

• Woods' Recovery Status: Reports indicated that Tiger Woods himself has only been cleared for "chipping and putting," suggesting that a full return to competitive play is still a work in progress.

3. Other News

• Japanese Pro Marriage Announcement: Men's professional golfer Takumi Kanaya and women's professional golfer Kokone Yoshimoto publicly announced that they had been married in January of this year, generating buzz in both the Japanese and US golf communities.

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☆ US Women's Golf News ◇ December 3, 2025

On Tuesday, December 3, 2025, while the LPGA Tour regular season was in its off-period, the most important battle for next season's tour cards was taking place, drawing significant attention.

1. LPGA Q-Series (Final Qualifying Tournament) Opens

The final qualifying tournament for the 2026 LPGA Tour cards, the "LPGA Q-Series," was set to begin.

• Duration: December 4 – December 8, 2025 (December 3 was the day before, mainly focused on preparation or related domestic news.)

• Key Point: Players who successfully navigate this five-day, 90-hole test will earn their tour membership for the next season.

• Japanese Players' Status: Many notable Japanese players, including Hinako Shibuno, Yuna Nishimura, Kokona Sakurai, and Nika Ito, were competing in this Final Qualifier, with daily reports closely tracking their progress.

2. LPGA Foundation Commemorative Event

To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the LPGA Tour, the LPGA Foundation held a Pro-Am tournament.

• Goal: It was announced that the foundation raised over $2.5 million (approx. ¥370 million) to support its vision of empowering girls and women through golf. This marked a significant milestone for women's sports.

3. Other Related News

As the Japanese women's domestic Qualifying Tournament (QT) was also taking place concurrently, the following news was also reported:

• Japan Women's Final QT: Reports highlighted former money queen Sakura Yokomine making a significant jump up the leaderboard after shooting a "67."

• Japanese Pro Marriage Announcements: The marriage of men's pro Takumi Kanaya and women's pro Kokone Yoshimoto in January, as well as Momoko Osato's announcement of her marriage, were major talking points in the golf community.

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☆ Japan Golf News ◇ December 3, 2025

On December 3, 2025, the competition for next season's women's tour cards intensified, and the race for the men's money title ahead of the final tournament was a major topic.

1. ⛳ Japan Women's Tour: Final QT Heats Up

The Qualifying Tournament (QT) Final Stage for the first half of the 2026 JLPGA Tour began its second round at Shishido Hills Country Club in Ibaraki Prefecture.

• Leaderboard: First-round leader Shizuku Takahashi shot a "69" to maintain the lead at 10-under par overall.

• Veteran Comeback: Former money queen Sakura Yokomine shot a "67" for the day, climbing significantly to a tie for 16th place at 4-under overall, putting her well within the range typically needed to secure a tour card (usually around 35th place).

• Key Contenders: Players like Fumika Kawagishi (T3) and Yume Sugimoto (T10) were also in contention, signaling a critical battle to determine the lineup for next season.

2. 💖 Big News in Japanese Golf: Professional Golfer Marriages

Men's professional golfer Takumi Kanaya and women's professional golfer Kokone Yoshimoto publicly announced through their representatives that they had been married in January of this year, creating a major buzz in the golf world.

• Additionally, women's professional golfer Momoko Osato also announced her marriage via social media on the same day.

3. 🏌️‍♂️ Japan Men's Tour: Final Tournament Preview

With the final tournament of the Japan Men's Tour, the "Golf Nippon Series JT Cup," set to begin the following day (December 4), pre-tournament information was reported.

• Money Title Race: The race for this season's money title was narrowed down to three players: Money Rank No. 1 Kudai Kaneko, No. 3 Taiga Semikawa, and No. 4 Ryui Oiwa. While Kaneko holds a significant advantage, Semikawa and Oiwa must win the tournament to have a chance.

• Absences: Players like Money Rank No. 2 Ryuken Sogenji and Ryo Ishikawa, who are competing in the US Tour Second Stage Q-School, are absent from the final tournament.

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☆ Japan Golf Equipment Industry News ◇ December 3, 2025

As of December 3, 2025, the Japanese golf equipment industry was in its off-season, with the focus on winter apparel collaborations and the release of information about new products for the upcoming season.

1. 👕 Golf Apparel: Winter Collaborations and Fashion

News related to golf apparel for the winter season was prominent.

• PEARLY GATES × NANGA Collaboration Down Release: The golf apparel brand Pearly Gates announced the release of innovative downwear in collaboration with the down manufacturer NANGA. This was a significant topic in functional and fashionable winter apparel.

• Expansion of Korean Golf Wear: A pop-up store for BUYMA was announced for Shinjuku Takashimaya, featuring an extensive lineup of Korean golf wear. This indicates that Korean trends continue to influence the Japanese golf apparel market.

2. 🏌️‍♂️ Clubs & Gear: New Product Information for the Upcoming Season

Information on new products from various manufacturers was gradually being revealed in preparation for the start of the next season in spring.

• PXG's New Wood Debut Imminent: It was reported that PXG would debut its new wood series, the Lightning, on December 12.

• Dunlop "XXIO 14": Information on the popular flagship model continued to be highlighted, including the launch of the XXIO 14 series and the upcoming release of the ladies' model on December 6 (Saturday).

• PRGR Limited Putter: PRGR (Progear) announced the release of the limited-edition putter R35+, which features the large Enjoy Grip, targeting niche segments of the market.

• TaylorMade × Red Bull Racing: TaylorMade announced the third collaboration with F1's Red Bull Racing, the Race Day Collection.

3. 📈 Market Trends and Dynamics

Market-wide trends in the golf industry included the following:

• Golf Course/Driving Range Revenue: A 2024 survey showed that the value-added ratio for golf course companies rose to 40.1%, indicating that the golf-related industry, having benefited from the pandemic-era boom, maintains relatively high profitability compared to other sectors.

• Year-End Features: Golf magazine EVEN announced that its December 5 issue would feature the "EVEN of the Year 2025" special, a comprehensive look at the year's most outstanding golf gear and fashion, marking the beginning of year-end reviews.

Thank you very much for reading to the end.

(This text was checked and researched using Google Gemini.)

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