De Villa, Tabuena finish 3rd in Optimist

Debbie de Villa and Miguel Tabuena settled for third place finishes in their respective divisions as organizers of the Optimist International Junior Golf Championships decided to cancel the third and final round due to bad weather at the Palm Beach Gardens of the PGA National Golf Club in Florida Monday.

De Villa, who double bogeyed No. 9 when play was stopped in the second round, finished the last nine holes of the second round at even par for a 72 as the 15-year-old RP Ladies Open champion closed out with a 144 in the tournament for the girls’ 14-15 division reduced to 54 holes.

That was one shot behind Yupaporn Kawinpakorn, who nipped Tanaporn Kongkiatkrai in the playoff in a duel of the Thai bets to claim the crown. Both had 143s after 36 holes with Kawinpakorn bouncing back from back-to-back double bogeys from No. 8 with a slew pars for a 74 and Kongkiatkrai fighting back from a disastrous 41 with a 33 at resumption of play for another 74.

Tabuena, on the other hand, appeared on his way to another international crown after drawing level with Guillermo Perreira of Chile with a one-under card after 11 holes in the third round. But as he was about to putt for another birdie on No. 12, play was called off for the second time due to lightning.

The organizers, however, decided to revert the tournament to 36 holes due to inclement weather, thus keeping the second round scores where Tabuena stood in third place with a 144 behind Zachary Martin of Pinehurt and Perreira, who both had 143s.

Martin, one behind Tabuena and Perreira until play was cancelled, later beat the Chilean on the fourth hole of a sudden-death playoff.

John Kier Abdon, who with De Villa are two of the players sponsored by ICTSI, posted a ninth place finish in the boys’ 14-15 category, while Maan Legaspi fought back to place fourth in the girls’ 12-13 years. Andie Unson also finished fourth in the girls’ 10-11 category.

Meanwhile, Tabuena and Unson head to North Carolina this week to compete in the US Kids Championship while De Villa is priming up for her stint in the US Women’s Amateur in Portland early next month.