LUBAO, Pampanga – Jiwon Lee and Shinichi Suzuki turned the final round of the 15-18 division of the Junior Philippine Golf Tour Luzon Series 2 into a victory lap, posting similar 73s at the Pradera Verde Golf and Country Club on Friday.
Lee, who all but secured her second consecutive JPGT crown by amassing a 17-stroke lead over Reese Ng in the third round, finished with a 37-36 card, mixing three birdies with four bogeys. Her four-day total of three-under 285 bested Ng by 20 shots, setting a new record early in the series.
Ng closed with a 76 for a 305 aggregate while Lia Duque placed third with a 310, matching Lee’s over-over par score on both the first and third nines of the Pradera Verde golf complex.
Lee plays pressure-free
The Korean’s stellar performance, highlighted by a brilliant six-under 66 in the first round, eclipsed Geoffrey Tan’s 19-shot triumph in the boys’ 11-14 category Thursday.
“In the last nine holes, I was super relaxed, having fun and felt no pressure,” said Lee, who initially aimed to score as low as possible. “But after going one-over at the front nine, I told myself, maybe not under-par but just do my best till the end.”
With a series of imposing victories, the 16-year-old believes she’s ready to turn professional.
“I’ll wait another month to join amateur tournaments. In July, I might try to turn pro. I’m not in a hurry, but I really want to experience the field in the LPGT (Ladies Philippine Golf Tour) and see what it feels like to be a professional,” said Lee.
Suzuki, meanwhile, secured a six-shot victory over Tristan Padilla in the premier division on a 288 total. The Manila Southwoods standout extended his overnight five-stroke lead to nine with a run of eight pars against Padilla’s four consecutive bogeys in the first nine.
Looking ahead, the third leg of the series, which aims to nurture young talent and promote the sport in a cooperative environment, resumes on June 10-13 at Pinewoods Golf Club in Baguio. The tour will then head to the Visayas for a three-leg stint in Iloilo, Bacolod and Negros Occidental.
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