MEXICO, Pampanga – Zoji Edoc displayed nerves of steel in a wild frontside finish, holing out with three consecutive pars to rescue a one-over 72 and edge Andres Jeturian by one shot for the boys’ 7-10 division title in the ICTSI Beverly Place Junior PGT Championship on Tuesday.
Edoc battled Jeturian, Alexian Ching and Lee Sooreen in a furious four-way shootout across the back nine of the Beverly Place Golf Club.
Edoc holds steady
Jeturian, tied with Ching for the first-round lead of the 36-hole tournament, matched Edoc’s steady par-par-par finish. However, he was ultimately undone by Edoc’s blistering mid-round charge, where a rally from a three-stroke deficit saw Edoc seize control by going two-under par through 10 holes.
The drama spiked late as Edoc dropped shots on Nos. 2, 4, and 6, cutting his lead to just one. Yet Jeturian couldn’t find the elusive birdie and settled for a 76, handing Edoc the title with a 150 total to Jeturian's 151. Lee (75) and Ching (77) tied for third at 152.
The gritty victory secured for Edoc the second automatic berth in the upcoming North vs South Finals with 42 points, tying first-qualifier Zach Guico. Kenzo Tan carded a 73 to place fifth at 158, keeping him at No. 3 in the standings, while Ching holds No. 4 and Asher Abad sits dangerously at fifth heading into the final Luzon Series leg at Eagle Ridge on June 17-19.
The girls’ youngest division showcased a masterclass in dominance. Jaicee Cervantes served notice that she intends to gatecrash the Grand Finals party, completing a commanding wire-to-wire victory with a closing 74 for a 149 total, leaving Jehanne Mendoza (72) nine strokes behind in second at 158, while Summit Point leg winner Andrea Dee stumbled to an 83 for a distant third at 164.
Cervantes' triumph earned her 15 crucial points, skyrocketing her from 10th to fourth place in the standings with 23 points in just two appearances. She will still require another powerhouse performance in the final leg to solidify her spectacular backdoor bid to the grand finals.
As the circuit heads to its final Luzon leg, Winter Serapio safely anchors the youngest category's Grand Finals cast with a maximum 45 points, while Mendoza and Dee remain heavily tipped to lock up the next two spots. The final berth is shaping up to be a toss-up between Cervantes and Laura Pablo (20 points), while Isabel Cabrera, Tyly Bernardino, and Elizabeth Laurel (14 points each) maintain mathematical lifelines.
Meanwhile, the chase for crucial ranking points and coveted berths on the South team heats up Wednesday (June 3) as the JPGT Visayas-Mindanao Series heads to Murcia for its penultimate leg at the short but tricky Bacolod Golf and Country Club.
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