MANILA, Philippines?Filipino chess whiz Wesley So started 2008 hot and finished the year even hotter.

The 15-year-old So capped his remarkable performances last year by emerging as best player of the First Asia Club Cup in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.

Manning the top board for Team Tagaytay City-Philippines, So edged Vietnamese GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong and Ukrainian Super GM Sergey Karjakin (Elo 2730) for board 1 honors with 5.5 points in seven matches.

The world?s youngest GM started his romp by topping the Dubai Open Chess Championship in April and the Battle of GMs in May.

He also repeated as board 1 gold medalist in the World Under-16 Chess Olympiad in Mersin, Turkey, where he led the Philippines to third place behind powerhouses India and Russia last August.

For his numerous achievements, So will be honored as the major awardee in chess during the San Miguel Corporation-Philippine Sportswriters Association (SMC-PSA) Annual Awards Night at the Alegria Lounge of the Manila Pavilion Hotel on Feb.20.

The high school junior from St. Francis of Assisi-Bacoor joins the major awardees picked by the country?s oldest media organization composed of editors and sportswriters of the various national broadsheets and tabloids.

Other major awardees in the annual awards rite supported by the Pagcor are wushu?s Willy Wang, PBA cager Kelly Williams and golfers Jennifer Rosales, Dorothy Delasin, Angelo Que and Dottie Ardina.

On top of the honor list is boxing hero Manny Pacquiao, recipient of the Athlete of the Year trophy for winning his three fights last year, including an eighth round domination of Oscar De La Hoya.

Pacquiao will also be elevated to the PSA Hall of Fame.