HOMETOWN bet Ralph Rian Batican and Davao leg champions Nicole and Stephanie Gan, Lucas de Guzman and Brianna Macasaet led the winners in the Pueblo de Oro Junior Open, the second Mindanao meet of the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines (JGFP), on Sunday at the Pueblo de Oro Golf and Country in Cagayan de Oro.
Batican fired a five-under par 67 after an opening 68 for a total of 135 to win the 9-10 boys category by 18 strokes as Jared Saban, winner in Davao, finished with 153 after rounds of 76 and 77.
See Henderson completes wire-to-wire win as Yuka Saso places sixth
The 10-year-old Grade 5 student at Little Me Academy home school highlighted his round with eagle on No. 12 while hitting six birdies. Batican bagged the sixth title of his young career.
“I’m very happy to win. It was tough but I’m very happy with my game,” said Batican, who gets help from Filipino golf legend Frankie Minoza with the refinement of his overall game and has Noel Langamin as his coach. He played last year in the IMG Academy Junior World Championships in the US.
The Gan sisters and de Guzman made it back-to-back titles with wins in the Davao leg at Apo golf early this month and at Pueblo.
Nicole Gan had a final round 78 for a total of 154 in the 11-12 girls to beat Isabella Tabanas, who finished with 169.
Stephanie Gan had 173 in the 6-under girls, besting Soleil Ianne Molde by two strokes. De Guzman shot a 153 to top the 6-under boys.
Macasaet topped the 7-8 girls category with a final round 75 for a total of 156 to beat Davao champion Rafella Adrienne Batican, who had a two-day total of 176.
Alethea Gaccion buried an eight-foot birdie putt to beat Kiara Montebon in the fourth hole of a playoff for the 15-18 girls’ title. They both had 141 36-hole scores with Gaccion shooting a 68 and Montebon carding a 66, the tournament’s best round, on Sunday.
Jacob Gomez won the boys’ 11-12, Gunnar Lucas Velez ruled the boys’ 7-8, Zero Plete dominated the girls’ 13-14, Brittany Tamayo bagged the girls’ 11-12 title, and Clement Ordeneza emerged on top in the boys’ 13-14.
Korea’s Youngdu Cho won the 15-18 boys’ on 143 after rounds of 71 and 72, while Rex Zaragosa climbed to second place on 145 following a 69 in the in the tournament backed by John Gaisano, Gaisano Malls, Islandwide Distribution Corp. and Pueblo Golf.