Best-ever world Jungolf finish: Uy, Superal cap Phl feat

SAN DIEGO, California – Lou Daniella Uy and Princess Superal provided a fitting climax to the Philippines’ strongest showing ever in the Junior World Golf Championships by claiming the Girls’ 15-17 team play crown with an even-par closing-round of 144 for a comfortable seven-stroke win over Thailand at Torrey Pines North here Friday.

Uy, a seasoned jungolfer from Antipolo, holed out with a birdie to nail second place in the individual play and cap Team Phl’s rich haul of three crowns and two runner-up honors in the 46th edition of world jungolf.

Fil-Am Rico Hoey fired a two-under 70 at Torrey Pines South as he rallied from 14th place to joint fourth in the boys’ side -- a footnote in Team Phl’s excellent performance in the tourney coming on the heels of the country’s first Putra Cup title conquest in 17 years.

On Thursday, Pauline del Rosario and Kristopher Arevalo swept the girls’ and boys’ 13-14 championships while Mikhaella Fortuna salvaged second place in the girls’ 11-12 division.

“I don’t remember a performance like this for us. It’s usually two or just one championship even during our time,” said Carito Villaroman, a Philippine Junior Golf Foundation director and personal coach of Arevalo, a member of the Aguinaldo junior golf program.

Uy was a big heroine with her rounds of 72-72-70-72, good for second place behind Mariel Galdiano of Hawaii in individual play and the gold medal in the team competition, which was introduced in the Junior World Golf only last year.

Phl boys Rupert Zaragosa and Raymart Tolentino were way off in their side at 24-over 600. Both finished at 12-over 300 for joint 40th in individual play ruled by Jose Mendez at 73-283.

Mendez became the first Costa Rican to top the boys’ 15-17 competition.

Capping her final-round 72 with a birdie, Uy beat Amy Matsuoka (71-287) by a stroke for second place in the individual play topped by Galdiano with a 71 for a nine-under 72-hole aggregate of 279.

Galdiano, a Hawaiian wonder qualifying for the US Women’s Open before her 13th birthday in 2011, outclassed the field with earlier rounds of 70-69-69.

Six strokes behind Galdiano before the start of the final round, Uy instead took a close look at her pursuers but still needed to birdie the final hole to put away the silver.

Uy faced anxious moments as she bogeyed the 12th and 17th holes, allowing Matsuoka to come within one. Closing–hole birdies from both rewarded the Filipina the second-place plum.

Superal submitted a 72 after earlier rounds of 73-74-71 to finish sixth.

Bianca Isabel Pagdanganan was the next best Filipina scorer at 78-296 with Felicia Paulina Medalla and Chanelle Avaricio missing the penultimate-day cut.

The Filipinas, however, won the team play with relative ease.

Thais Ornicha Konsunthea and Benyapa Niphatsophon were seven off at second with a 144-583 while Japanese Kana Nagai and Ayami Noguchi came in third at 147-584.

The Phl girls were seventh and their boys counterparts third when Team Play was launched last year.