CAGAYAN DE ORO – Team North showed its pedigree right from the opening teeshot, overcoming home-course disadvantage to seize a 7 1/2-4 1/2 lead over Team South in four-ball at the start of the ICTSI North vs South Elite Junior PGT Championship at the Pueblo de Oro Golf and Country Club on Tuesday.
Playing on unfamiliar turf and against a South squad expected to draw strength from local knowledge, the defending champions instead imposed their will early, taking control of seven of the 12 best-ball matches contested across three age-group divisions to nearly match their 8-4 opening output they fashioned in last year’s inaugural regional showdown at The Country Club.
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Zach Guico and Kingston Ching set the tone for the Northerners’ early charge, going 3-up after just seven holes against South’s Ethan Lago and Lucas Revilleza in the boys’ 7-10 division. They never looked back, closing out a convincing 5&4 victory that immediately put North on the front foot.
Zoji Edoc and Kenzo Tan then displayed the composure and fighting spirit that have become the hallmark of the North side. Trailing by one hole at one stage, the pair patiently worked their way back before turning the match around and beating Stephen Clementer and Darren Ong, 3&2, in the boys’ 7-10 duel.
Edoc highlighted their victory with a hole-in-one on the 80-yard No. 13 using a 54-degree club and a Taylormade TP5 ball.
Chan Anh and Vito Sarines made it three straight for North with an equally emphatic performance in the boys’ 11-14 class. They surged ahead early and never allowed Ken Guillermo and Mico Woo to recover, romping to a 6&4 victory and completing North’s sweep of the first three matches.
South finally stemmed the tide when Ralph Batican and Jared Saban fashioned a 4&2 victory over Javie Bautista and Jacob Casuga in the other boys’ 11-14 match.
But the Northerners responded by taking three of the next four matches, including a sweep of the boys’ 15-18 encounters. They were also poised to dominate girls’ 7-10 duels as conditions grew hotter but Athena Serapio and Jehanne Mendoza blew a 3-up lead, enabling Blake Aguilar and Soleil Molde to force an all-square match, the only face-off that ended in standoff in the day.
Shin Suzuki and Santi Asuncion blasted Alexis Nailga and Clement Ordeneza, 4&2, while Jakob Taruc and Nathan Belandres ripped Sebastian Sajuela and Roman Tiongko, 5&4, in the boys’ premier side. Jaicee Cervantes and Andrea Dee provided the other win in girls’ youngest division, a 5&4 rout of Vanya Go and Akeisha Yocte.
South answered in the girls’ 11-14 matches as Rafella Batican and Brittany Tamayo dominated Cailey Gonzales and Georgina Handog, 4&3, and Marqaela Dy and Zuri Bagaloyos drubbed Mavis Espedido and Quincy Pilac, 3&2, and picked up another win in one of the girls’ 15-18 encounters – a 2&1 triumph by Tashi Balangauan and Precious Zaragosa over Lisa Sarines and Rafa Anciano.
North, however, saved another statement for the finish, closing the day with a 4&2 victory by Mona Sarines and Kendra Garingalao over Apple Gotiong and Lois Lane Go in the other girls’ premier-division faceoff to preserve its three-point cushion.
Team North captain Joey Anciano said the result was unexpected, especially after seeing South field a strong lineup, but credited his players for trusting one another and sticking to the game plan.
“The game today was really unexpected. When we saw South’s lineup, they went all-out, so I wasn’t expecting anything. I just told the kids to play, trust their teammates, and they did,” said Anciano.
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