Isaiah Salinda is a proud Bay Area native, who hails from South San Francisco.
He graduated from Junipero Serra High School, where he made history as the first freshman in the school’s history to be named varsity team MVP.
Highlights
- A Filipino American Isaiah Salinda grew up in South San Francisco with parents, Tony and Debbie.
- Isaiah looks back and sees how much his parents sacrificed to send him and Daryl to Serra High School.
- His father Tony would sometimes take Isaiah to the practice range, where Isaiah, starting at just 3 years old.
After high school, he continued his education and golf career at Stanford University from 2015 to 2019.
He majored in Management Science and Engineering at Stanford while playing for the Stanford golf team.
Salinda’s college career was marked by significant achievements, including helping Stanford win the NCAA championship 2019, where he finished sixth individually.
In 2018, he also won the prestigious Pacific Coast Amateur at The Olympic Club.
Isaiah Salinda Shares A Closeknit Bond With His Filipino Parents Tony And Debbie
A Filipino American, Isaiah Salinda, grew up in South San Francisco with parents who worked hard to give him and his brother Daryl the needed opportunities.
The surname Salinda has Filipino roots and has been passed down to Isaiah through generations.
His dad, Tony, worked long shifts driving a forklift at the post office, often staying late to earn extra money.
His mom, Debbie, worked as a nurse at Kaiser, always balancing her demanding job with raising her sons.
Isaiah looks back and sees how much his parents sacrificed to send him and Daryl to Serra High School, which set him on the path to Stanford and playing golf at a competitive level.
As he looks toward his future, with plans to turn pro after graduating, he knows his parents played a huge role in shaping who he is today.
“They really taught me the value of hard work. Nothing was ever handed to me. They put in so much effort, and they never once complained about the hours. They just did it for us.”
Isaiah Salinda
Tony and Debbie Salinda worked hard to balance their jobs while also taking care of their family.
Tony would occasionally take Isaiah to the practice range, where, starting at just 3 years old, Isaiah began hitting golf balls and quickly developed a love for the game.
He began his golf journey at the small nine-hole course in Golden Gate Park, then progressed to Mariners Point in Foster City, before eventually playing at the Fleming course at Harding Park in San Francisco.
After all, Isaiah Salinda’s mother frequently expresses her pride in his achievements.
On June 20, 2013, she shared how excited she was about his success after he shot a tournament record 68 (-4) to win the Boys Overall Championship at Crystal Springs Golf Course.
She also mentioned that he was named Golfer of the Year by the San Jose Mercury News/San Mateo County Times in that issue.
Now, Isaiah is competing with some of the best amateur golfers in the world.
He earned honorable mention All-American honors at Stanford last season and is ranked No. 67 in the world amateur rankings after a strong summer performance.
Additional Information
- Isaiah Salinda is a member of the Korn Ferry Tour, which he joined after moving up from PGA Tour Latinoamérica.
- In 2020, he also played on the PGA Tour Canada. He made his U.S. Open debut in 2022 after qualifying at Pronghorn Resort in Bend, Oregon.
- Outside of golf, Isaiah enjoys playing basketball, swimming, watching football, and reading.
