LAUREL, Batangas – Mavis Espedido's brilliant start to the ICTSI Junior PGT Championship just got better as she completed a sweep of the first three Luzon series tournaments with a three-stroke victory at the Splendido Taal leg on Tuesday.
Initially bracing for a close duel with Winter Serapio, Espedido instead turned the expected showdown into a commanding victory. She closed out the 36-hole tournament at Splendido Taal Golf Club with a four-over 76 highlighted by a superb 35 on the back nine, finishing with a 156 total.
While Serapio stumbled with a 41, Espedido pulled ahead by seven strokes – a margin that proved crucial after a shaky finish that included a triple-bogey on No. 4 and bogeys on her final two holes. Despite that, she secured her third consecutive girls’ 7-10 trophy in convincing fashion.
Serapio, who matched Espedido’s eagle on No. 2, finished with a steady one-over performance over the final six holes but could only pull within three strokes, finishing with a 78 for a 159 total.
Penelope Sy took third place with a 178 after a 91.
“Winning a three-peat makes me really happy because it reflects all the hard work I’ve put in and the support I’ve received from everyone,” said Espedido, who highlighted her round with an eagle on the par-5 No. 2, where after a solid drive, she hit a precise 50-degree wedge from 68 yards out that landed just 11 feet from the hole.
The nine-year-old prodigy from Anvaya Cove in Bataan earlier defeated Venus delos Santos by 14 strokes at Eagle Ridge and edged her by one at Sherwood Hills last week. With 45 ranking points and four tournaments remaining in the seven-leg series.
Vis-Min Series begins
Espedido is virtually assured of a berth in the North vs. South Elite Junior Finals at The Country Club later this year.
Meanwhile, players from the south will begin their Vis-Min series on Monday (May 5) in Mactan, Cebu. The Luzon series will resume in July at Riviera Golf and Country Club in Silang, Cavite.
Zach Guico reclaimed the boys' 7-10 title with a gritty final-round comeback, carding an 84 to defeat Zoji Edoc by four strokes. Guico posted a 36-hole total of 174, while Edoc, who led by five after the opening round, wavered with a 93 for a 178 aggregate.
In the girls’ 11-14 division, Lisa Sarines – winner of the first two Luzon legs – came up just short of matching Espedido’s streak, narrowly losing to her twin sister Mona Sarines in a dramatic finish decided on the final hole.
The sisters, who opened with matching 78s, remained deadlocked through the first eight holes, trading leads on a blustery day for the top spot. But Mona held her nerve on No. 9, sinking a par while Lisa missed her bid, allowing Mona to seize the lead.
A birdie and two bogeys against Lisa’s two bogeys in the first seven holes at the back netted Mona a two-stroke cushion and held sway with a run of pars to clinch the win in the tournament organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
Mona pooled 153 while Lisa birdied the last hole to save a 76 for a 154. Alexie Gabi placed third with a 166 after an 83.
The battle for the boys' 11-14 division crown also came down to the final hole, where Ryuji Suzuki exacted revenge on Vito Sarines with a clutch two-shot swing on No. 9.
Suzuki, who previously triumphed at Eagle Ridge where Sarines placed third, closed with a 76, highlighted by a birdie at the last, to post a 153 total.
Sarines, who had beaten Suzuki by five strokes at Sherwood Hills last week, faltered with a bogey on the final hole, settling for a 77 and a 155.
Jacob Casuga placed a distant third at 168 after a second 84.
Anciano on track for repeat
Meanwhile, Rafa Anciano stayed on track for back-to-back titles in the premier girls’ 15-18 division. Following her runaway win at Sherwood Hills, Anciano carded an 81 for a 164 aggregate in the 54-hole tournament sponsored by ICTSI, pulling ahead of Angelica Bañez by a commanding 34 strokes.
Bañez struggled under tough conditions, finishing with a 98 for a 198 total.
In the boys' 15-18 division, Zach Villaroman nearly squandered a scorching frontside 35 with a bogey-filled 39 on the back nine, closing with a 74 and clinging to a slim one-shot lead at 146 over Shinichi Suzuki.
Suzuki birdied the final hole to card a 72 and finish at 147, setting up an exciting final-round shootout. Jose Carlos Taruc remained a distant third at 154 after a 79, while Bien Fajardo, despite an explosive eagle-birdie start, settled for a 74 but climbed from a tie for sixth to solo fourth at 158.
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