Dy snares US Kids World title with final hole birdie

MANILA, Philippines - Jed Dy checked an impending skid with a two-putt birdie on the final hole as he carded a one-over 73 and posted a one-stroke victory in the boys 9-years division in the US Kids Golf World Championships at Pinehurst, North Carolina recently.

Up by five strokes at the start of the final round, Dy struggled and fumbled with bogeys, enabling two Americans to give chase before finding himself tied with defending champion Jackson Van Paris, who closed out with a five-under 67 in a flight ahead.

But Dy bucked the pressure and reached the par-5 18th in two. He sent his difficult 40-foot first putt two feet pass the hole but calmly put back the winning birdie putt to clinch the crown on a 212 (70-69-73) total.

Dy’s victory highlighted a strong finish by the kids sent here by the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines with Annyika Cayabyab placing second in girls 9-years class and Sean Granada finishing third in the boys 8-years division.

Cayabyab scored third subpar rounds at the Longleaf Golf and Country Club back nine for a 103 total (33-35-35) but settled for runner-up honors to winner Leon Takagi of Japan while first day leader Granada (34-38-34-106) wound up three strokes behind winner Allan Kournikova of the US and one behind Shubham Jaglan of India.  

Mikhaela Fortuna and Sam Bruce finished in the Top 10 of the girls 12 years category in contrasting fashion to secure spots in the international team playing at the 2013 US Kids Golf World Championships World Cup against their US counterparts, a post tournament Ryder Cup type event pitting the best 12 year olds of the tournament to be played in historic Pinehurst No. 2 course.   

They will join former US Kids Golf European champion Philippe Winsett-Palanca who finished 226 (and won via countback for the last international team slot in the boys 12 years category.

Yuka Saso and Ken Shibata, Fil-Japanese Philippine residents, both placed fifth in girls 12 years and boys 8 years, respectively, while carrying their fathers’ home country Japan in these World Championships. Fil-Am Alexa Pano won her second straight US Kids Golf World championships in girls 8 years playing for the US.  

The other members of the Philippine contingent to the world championships were (girls 8 Years Old) Monique Arroyo, (10 years old) Mikhaela Arroyo, (girls 12 years old) Ashia Nocum, (boys 7 years old below) Zeus Sara, Zachary Castro, (boys 8 years old) Jet Ang, (boys 9 years old) Marc Garreth Nolasco, (boys 10 years old) Perry Bucay, (boys 11 years old) Juan Gabriel Subido, (boys 12 years old) Carl Jano Corpus.