LIPA City – Winter Serapio survived a near-collapse under punishing heat and swirling winds, making a birdie on the final hole to secure the girls’ 7-10 division crown with an 82 at the ICTSI Mount Malarayat Junior PGT Championship on Tuesday.
Serapio opened the final round in complete control, stringing together six steady pars that suggested a runaway victory. But the Mount Malarayat composite course struck back with a series of bogeys and two costly triple bogeys, erasing her six-stroke lead and putting challengers back in contention.
Laura Pablo seized the opportunity, birdieing No. 15 to pull even at 15-over, setting up a tense showdown on the par-5 closing hole with every shot carrying enormous pressure.
Serapio, however, remained composed, birdieing the final hole for the second straight day to card a pair of 41s for a 159 total.
Pablo, in her Junior Philippine Golf Tour debut, faltered on the last hole with a bogey, finishing with a 78 and a 161 total. Jehanne Mendoza matched Pablo’s 78 to share runner-up honors.
“I feel really happy and proud,” said 9-year-old Serapio, who reached the 18th in two and two-putted for birdie. “It was much tougher today. I got very nervous, so I just tried to stay focused and prayed to Jesus to help me play well.”
In the boys’ youngest division, Kenzo Tan completed a wire-to-wire triumph, fending off a late charge from Alexian Ching with a 78, including a birdie on the final hole, for a 158 total.
Ching, who eagled the par-5 fifth, fell short after bogeys on two of his last four holes, finishing with a 77 and 161 total. Asher Abad rallied with a 76 to catch Lauro Delen, who stumbled with an 81, leaving both tied for third at 162.
Anh Chan triumphant
The 11-14 divisions delivered similarly gripping finales. In the boys’ side, Anh Chan lost his overnight lead with a front-nine 41, allowing Ryuji Suzuki to take control, with Vito Sarines close behind.
Chan rebounded with a spectacular pitch-in eagle on the par-4 15th, regained momentum, and closed with steady pars over the last two holes to finish second 78 for a 156. He edged Sarines by one stroke, after the latter birdied the final hole to close with a 74 and a 157.
Suzuki fell out of contention with a double bogey on No. 17, ending with a 79 and a 158.
Meanwhile, the girls’ 11-14 division came down to a sudden-death playoff between Quincy Pilac and Maurysse Abalos after both finished at 160.
Abalos bogeyed the final hole in regulation to post an 81, while Pilac calmly sank a par to close with a 79 and force the playoff. Returning to No. 1, Pilac repeated her heroics with another clutch par, while Abalos faltered with a bogey.
Georgina Handog and Aerin Chan narrowly missed the playoff by one stroke, finishing at 161. Handog closed with a strong 74, while Chan shot 81.
Meanwhile, the Visayas-Mindanao Series blasts off on Wednesday (April 8) at Mactan Island Golf Course in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu with tight races expected across divisions.
In the girls’ 15-18 bracket, Apple Gotiong, Lois Lane Go and Tashanah Balangauan headline a three-way duel, while Roman Tiongko, Guio Pasquil, David Gothong, Emil Hernaez and Sebastian Sajuela lead a stacked boys’ field.
The boys’ 11-14 division features Bukidnon standouts Ralph Batican and Mico Woo against Cebu’s Tobias Tiongko, with James Rolida moving up from last year’s youngest group. Denise Mendoza also steps up to the girls’ 11-14 class, facing Rafella Batican, Eliana Dumalaog, Isabella Espina, Marqaela Dy and Gracie Ong.
In the 7-10 categories, Ethan Lago and Lucas Revilleza are early favorites in the boys’ side, with Darren Ong, Tiger Mangana, Thomas Ngo and Miles Avila in contention. The girls’ field is wide open among Skye Yocte, Zoey Mascarinas, Adrielle Avila and Avery Go.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
