Dy, Olivarez-Ilas top San Diego Jr Masters

SAN DIEGO – Victories by Jed Dy and Bernice Olivarez-Ilas in their respective divisions highlighted an impressive Philippine campaign in the San Diego Junior Masters over the weekend, putting the Filipino kids in the right frame of mind for the bigger mission this week at the Junior World golf championships here.

Dy clinched another international crown after last year’s US Kids World Championship trophy, posting a six-stroke win over Jason Xie of China with 9-hole scores of 34 and 32 in two rounds of the boys’ 7-8 years division

Olivarez-Ilas completed a come-from-behind win in the girls’ 9-10 years. She scored 33 and 30 in a torrid finish where she made an eagle and four birdies on the last six holes to beat Karah Sanford of the US by one.

Team Philippines missed a third title after Princess Superal of ICTSI squad lost in a three-player playoff for the girls’ 15-18 years crown with her 73-73 good for a tie for first place with Julienne Soo of Australia and American Aliea Clark in regulation play. 

US-based Jeanne Padillo, meanwhile, won the girls’ 6-under crown, scoring a two-shot victory over the only other entry in her division, Milana Chang of the US.

Dy, Olivarez-Ilas and Superal – who were flown here by the country’s flag carrier Philippine Airlines as a reward for ruling a national qualifying tournament – are among the country’s top bets in the Junior World golf meet in 11 different courses in San Diego starting Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila).

Harmie Constantino finished second in the girls’ 11-12 while Arnie Taguines and Lois Kaye Go placed third in the girls’ 7-8 and 13-14, respectively, for the other top three finishes achieved by the Filipino kids carrying the colors of the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines.

The other boy bets floundered, however, with Carl Corpus and LJ Go chalking up the other best finishes of seventh place in the 9-10 and 15-18 age-groups, respectively. Gio Gandionco, the spearhead of the Junior World mission, wound up 21st.