00:00PTV Sports
00:02Tagba balik ang PTV Sports para sa ating Sports Bandor.
00:10Ating mga kasama, live sa studio si Juliana Goh.
00:14Isa sa mga top amateur golfer ng bansa.
00:18Good morning Juliana and welcome sa PTV Sports!
00:22Juliana, you have competed at both national and international level
00:26level when it comes to competition. But can you walk us through your journey to go golf?
00:31Who motivated you? Do you have your parents influence? Or do you have other sports?
00:37Yes, so I started when I was six because my dad was a golfer and then my brother, my brother,
00:45to practice with him. And then I used to follow them around growing up. So like,
00:50I was like that too. So I went to the driving range with my brother
00:54and that's when it started. So I had a swing very young. And then I jumped from sport to sport.
00:59I did volleyball, I did badminton, just like trying everything. And then at like 13, 14,
01:06that's when I started getting competitive. And like decided to like, okay, parang gusto ko na to.
01:12I guess like telling my dad na, let's try to compete. Let's try to play tournaments and see what happens.
01:17Well, you tried, sabi mo, volleyball, badminton, and then golf.
01:22Why did you really feel like you were in golf?
01:26It was more my pace. Parang volleyball, I never, it's hard to run around.
01:32And then like, I'm not really an energetic, super person. So like golf was my pace.
01:39It was slow. It took relaxing to a point. And then, of course, in competition,
01:44different focus, different stress. But it was like, the stress na hahanapin mo, the adrenaline na hahanapin mo.
01:51And then, of course, we're back to PTV Sports. At syempre, nandito pa rin tayo sa ating Sports Banter.
02:01Kasama ang ating guests, si Juliana.
02:04Yes, yes.
02:05So ito, ikafollow up ko na lang. Coming off from our first question, you were born here in the Philippines and you've trained here.
02:13Ano sa tingin mo yung challenges and advantages training here in the Philippines?
02:19The course conditions in the Philippines, super iba. I would say it's harder. It's a lot tougher.
02:24Kasi the grass is a lot thicker. Yung Carabao grass kasi in the Philippines, most courses, Carabao grass.
02:32So US naman, mostly iba-iba. Zoysia or bent. A lot of it is bent, which is like easier.
02:38The club goes through a lot quicker, a lot faster. So dito, if di mo siya hinataw, lalo na pag maulan, super hirap.
02:46So I would say like that, golf course conditions, super, it translates easier. So you'll find the courses that are easier to hit off of.
02:55She talked about different courses and conditions. Since there are different conditions and courses,
03:02mapanational or international, how do you adopt?
03:06Obviously practice rounds, I think that's where you find comfortability in the golf course.
03:11Siyempre, every tournament, you'd have maybe one, maybe two practice rounds the day before.
03:17And that's where you prepare.
03:19Ano maging conditions, where to play, where to put the ball,
03:22what would be the best strategy for every hole to just make a par.
03:28If it's a hard hole, make a par.
03:30But yun, just try to adapt.
03:34Siyempre, it's an outdoor sport.
03:36Di mo alam kailan uula, di mo alam kailan super mahangin.
03:40So it's just a matter of like trusting every decision you make
03:44throughout the entire round and like, give it your best.
03:47I think, pag-golfer,
03:49iba yung mindset eh, iba yung approach.
03:52Dapat meron kang precision in mentor-gacy.
03:55Yes, yes. Accuracy din, di ba? At a very young age.
03:59So Juliana, how was it like playing for Eastern Michigan University?
04:03Personally, I love it.
04:04I really do. It's a different challenge.
04:07I transferred from King University my freshman year and
04:11and then I transferred to Eastern Michigan, which is now a Division I school.
04:16And it's a lot more competitive, a lot more challenging, which I really enjoyed.
04:20Kasi mapapagrind ka talaga, mapapalakas ka ng loob na kailangan mong lumaban
04:26every single time, every week, even when you're practicing at home.
04:30Do you think now that you are at Eastern Michigan,
04:34do you think ba sa boost yung confidence mo as a golf balser?
04:39Yes, definitely.
04:40The transition of being the number one player at King
04:48to like just a mid-player in Eastern, which it's good kasi alam kong may kaya pa kong ilaban.
04:56I can still be more competitive with more people and Eastern really gave me that chance
05:00and that opportunity to like play in a more competitive field and really try to
05:05push harder every single time.
05:07I like that mindset, that behavior, no?
05:10And then how that yung pagiging mas competitive mo allowed you to challenge yourself pagdating naman sa studies?
05:17Still, you're a student, athlete at the same time.
05:20So, how do you balance the two?
05:22He's actually a scholar.
05:24I would honestly take my high school for that.
05:26It was a very, we had to learn how to time manage.
05:30And my high school is a very academic high school.
05:34And coming from that, I knew the balance early on na.
05:40I have to set some time to study, siyempre.
05:43And then obviously you go to class in the morning and you go train in the afternoon.
05:47And then sometimes pa, the gym would be in between those two.
05:50And it was just really time management, schedule everything.
05:54Schedule your week. We like scheduling our week.
05:56So, our practice is set every day, every week.
06:00So, alam namin, 6am gym or 7am gym.
06:03And then we go to class and then we go practice after that.
06:06And then practice longer pa if need to.
06:09And then we travel on the weekend.
06:10So, it's just a lot of scheduling and like really preparing everything.
06:14And daming ganap.
06:15Miss Meg also mentioned that you're a scholar.
06:17So, does that put pressure on you that you have to maintain this particular average?
06:21Yes. Yes. But I like that pressure.
06:26Because that means my school matters.
06:28My grades matters to me.
06:29And I know I am still a student athlete.
06:32So, I still want that degree and want to succeed both in both my school and in the sport.
06:38On top of that, on top of that, I know that your parents are very proud of you.
06:42Because, you know, it's very difficult to manage school and being an athlete,
06:47more international athlete ka pa.
06:49So, what I see from Juliana is that she's very competitive.
06:52So, she excels in both sports and academics.
06:55So, that's a good trait for an athlete, right?
06:59So, you recently won the 2025 Philippine Junior Amateur Open Special Division.
07:05Can you walk us through your journey in that tournament?
07:08So, it was a four-day event in Valley Golf. It was in Antipolo.
07:12And, um, I knew four days is a lot.
07:17Four days is very, very long in extreme heat, in weird conditions.
07:22And, umulan pa siya after every round.
07:24So, it was a lot.
07:25And then, after the first two days, I knew there was a chance.
07:30Na, kayo, I can finish strong this week.
07:34I just have to stay composed as much as possible.
07:37And, as a home course advantage pa, I knew that adds a little bit of pressure
07:42to what my performance was going to be that entire week.
07:44But, I tried to relax.
07:45It was my last event for the summer.
07:47And, I just wanted to have fun and see what happens.
07:52Actually, teammate, papunta na siya sa Michigan.
07:54Back to Michigan this Sunday.
07:59It's a totally exciting and interesting journey you have in this sport.
08:04But, um, tell us, Juliana, what do you miss the most
08:08whenever you're, you know, away from the Philippines?
08:11The food.
08:12The food.
08:12Always the food.
08:13So, what's your favorite dish?
08:15Oh, that's hard.
08:16So, masarap pang luto, masarap pang luto yung bahay namin.
08:19Oh, I know.
08:20So, like any Filipino food, any Filipino food, I'll take it.
08:23Kare-kare.
08:25Kare-kare.
08:25Yeah.
08:26Because, like, fresh, dragongan, lahat-lahat.
08:28Anything that's masarap sa kanin, actually.
08:30Did you try cooking it yourself?
08:33Lalo na pag nasa ibang badsaka.
08:34Ado.
08:35Ado.
08:36Ado.
08:36Chicken or pork?
08:38Ado.
08:39Ado.
08:39Ado.
08:40Ado.
08:40Ado.
08:41So, this year, you received your World Amateur Golf Ranking.
08:45Describe your feeling.
08:46How does it feel?
08:47You know, you're already ranking.
08:49It was really nice.
08:50It was, it happened back in April after missing out three events before that.
08:58Because I was really struggling.
08:59I struggled for half the semester to really get the scores down, get my game back.
09:05And that tournament, everything just clicked.
09:08I mean, it was still, I would say, it's not my best girlfriend.
09:12I would say, but that was a stepping point na kaya ho pa rin.
09:16And I can really see myself progress from that point.
09:19So, it was a really, really satisfying week.
09:22And it got me motivated to play well in the last event after that.
09:26I want to know, what does golf has?
09:29Because, kasi ang dami na rin nating rising young Filipino golfers.
09:34Yes.
09:35Na world champions then.
09:36But how…
09:37Gen Z Princess Tarang, Yuka Sasso.
09:40Yes.
09:40Also, we have this rising star, Zach Giko, seven years old, world champion already.
09:46So, ano bang meron ang golf na, you know, what does golf teach as a young athlete like you?
09:53A lot of patience.
09:55Patience.
09:56A lot of patience, a lot of hard work and confidence.
10:03Also, the adrenaline.
10:05I really don't know how to explain.
10:06It just sparks something in you na once you get hooked into it, parang hindi ka na makakawala into playing.
10:14Kaya nga, ito mo, I mean, talking to her like this, iba yung ora niya.
10:18Yeah.
10:18Plus, looking at her in the videos and pictures, parang nagpa-transform sila eh.
10:23Nag-iiba once they have their golf clubs.
10:25Parang gay face on a slap when they are in the field, playing, play tournament, diba?
10:32What do you like most about this sport?
10:34The traveling.
10:36We've been to, I wanna say, 10 states for tournaments and wala pa yun yung mga other
10:43Asia tournaments I did, but you just see so much culture, so much places.
10:48Lahat nang food to try.
10:49Especially in Asia, like, every time we go on trips, parang,
10:52let's try this food.
10:54And it's just, it takes us just out of competing that week na parang,
10:59oh, you're in a different place, just relax.
11:01And then once you're on the golf course, game face na.
11:04Very adventurous din siya.
11:06She likes trying new food and experiencing different culture.
11:10Now, given a chance to be part of the Philippine national team
11:13and representing our Philippine flag, okay ba sa'yo eh?
11:17And ano yung meaning para sa'yo to represent our flag in the international sports team?
11:23I mean, it means a lot, obviously.
11:27Playing for the national team means I'm good enough
11:31to really, well, wear the flag.
11:36And I've done it a few times in the past,
11:39and I feel like now I'm really close to
11:44being able to really perform my best wearing the flag.
11:50I feel like I'm in that path na gumagaling na ho.
11:53I can produce scores, subsistence scores,
11:57that would hopefully get me into the national pool.
12:00And one thing I noticed sa mga young golfers natin,
12:04yung mindset nila.
12:06Their goal is very clear, yung pathway na gusto nilang mangyari sa career nila.
12:11I mean, yun eh, yun yung makikita ko normally.
12:13But Juliana, what is your main goal as a golfer?
12:18What do you look forward to?
12:19Right now, to play well in college.
12:21I mean, it's hard as a golfer.
12:24You have to prepare in five years, in three years.
12:27Because it's such a long path.
12:29To be a professional, it takes a lot.
12:32It takes a lot of energy.
12:33It takes a lot of hard work, siyempre.
12:36But right now is to enjoy my last two years of college,
12:40play as good of a golf I can do,
12:43and then try to turn for after that.
12:45Do you have any upcoming events,
12:47or are you preparing for a tournament?
12:49I'll be preparing to go back to college,
12:52and then season will start around the first week of September.
12:56So that's gonna be what I'll be preparing for.
12:58Just heading back, moving in again,
13:01and just going back to college.
13:03It will be interesting.
13:05Is there anybody that you'd like to say thank you to,
13:08or shout out, any message?
13:10Any message?
13:11Yes.
13:14I would like to thank my family, obviously.
13:16One, they've been there from day one.
13:19They saw me change, grow up.
13:21All of them.
13:23All of the girls, all of the girls that have been supporting me the entire time,
13:28from the beginning.
13:30Like, when I saw my super sweet,
13:32until now that it's, I want to say,
13:34one of my favorite swings so far.
13:37I love you guys.
13:38Thank you very much.
13:40And I'll see you again.
13:42On that note,
13:44maraming maraming salamat, Juliana, our RISC star,
13:47Thank you so much for having me.
13:47Thank you so much for having me.
13:48And good luck to your upcoming competitions,
13:50and to college.
13:52Yes.
13:52Yes.
13:53Yes.
13:53Yes.
