Agojo seizes two-shot lead; Ramos up

Jayvie Agojo bounced back from a poor start with a one-under-par 71 on Friday (Saturday in Manila) to grab a two-stroke lead in the girls 16-18 years division in the Optimist International junior golf championships in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Agojo, seeking her third victory in the United States after the Temecula International and the San Francisco Juniors, birdied the 16th and parred all the remaining holes to move ahead of Colombian Isabella Jarabrillo with a 150 aggregate.

Jarabrillo was at 152 while Mary Calderon of Orlando, Florida and Julia Huh of Minnesota were tied at 156.

Agojo’s superb round came on the heels of a jittery effort of 79 on opening day Thursday where she made a quadruple bogey 8 right on the first hole.

In Williamsburg, Virginia, A.R. Ramos was leading the 6 years and under division after two days of the US Kids World Championship.

Miguel Tabuena was running fourth in his division while Wolen Juan Superal, Jik Jik Abdon, Mia Piccio and Debbie de Villa were also in the Top 10.

The Optimist International and the US Kids are the final events on the US itinerary of the RP contingent sponsored by Philippine Airlines, the Philippine Sports Commission, Samsung, Airlift Asia, MCCI and Global Lighting.

Agojo is out to make up for the foiled bids of the RP boys in Florida.

The Florida-based Judeson Eustaquio was the best finisher among the RP boys, placing fourth in the 14-15 years category where Nonoy Negrido landed sixth. Mico Yee wound up eighth in the 13-14 years age-group.

So far, the RP contingent had already six wins in the US. Aside from Agojo’s twin feats, Tonton Asistio also won in Temecula while Tabuena, Superal and Terence Macatangay triumphed in the inaugural Desert Junior Classic in Palm Springs.

In the Junior World in San Diego, Andie Unson placed second and four others wound up among the top six.