JPGT Visayas golf tilt: Bernardino pulls off thrilling win; Tiongko shines

BACOLOD – Tiffany Bernardino clinched a dramatic victory in the girls’ 13-15 category of the ICTSI Junior Philippine Golf Tour Visayas Series here Wednesday, with a clutch par on the 17th hole sealing her win.

Bernardino, who led from the start, finished with an 85, narrowly edging out Rane Chiu and Alexie Gabi by one stroke with a 259 total over 54 holes.

Despite a shaky start with a frontside 45, Bernardino rallied from one stroke down in the final two holes. Her pivotal par on the challenging par-4 17th hole, which Chiu and Gabi both double-bogeyed, propelled her back into the lead.

The 13-year-old from Makati matched her rivals’ bogeys on the closing par-3 hole at the Bacolod Golf and Country Club, securing her first victory in the series sponsored by ICTSI.

“I couldn’t get my game going and wasn’t able to play my best,” Bernardino admitted. “I was pressured but handled it by praying.”

Gabi, from General Santos City, who defeated Bernardino by eight strokes in Iloilo, missed a par putt and a playoff crack on the 18th, settling for an 82 and a total of 260. Chiu, who took third place in Iloilo, also scored an 82 and claimed runner-up honors via countback, earning precious points heading into the last of two Bacolod legs at Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club.

The top two players after the Visayas series will advance to the National Match Play Finals at The Country Club in October.

In the boys’ 13-15 division, Nyito Tiongko mirrored Bernardino’s wire-to-wire triumph, romping away with a 10-stroke victory despite an early challenge from Iloilo leg winner Inno Flores.

The 13-year-old Cebuano, who started the final round with an 11-stroke lead, stumbled with a frontside 46 but steadied his game with pars to finish with an 84 and a total of 239. Flores, who rallied with a frontside 39, lost momentum after pulling within two strokes with eight holes to play. He played the last seven holes in eight-over, marred by a double bogey on the 16th, and wound up with an 83 for a 249.

“I never lost my confidence, even when Inno closed in,” said Tiongko, who overcame a quadruple bogey on the second hole and a triple bogey on the fourth.

Dannuo Zhu carded an 86 to tie Ty Ritchie Go, who turned in an 87, at 252.

Bernardino and Tiongko thus joined Eliana Mendoza and Kvan Alburo (8-9) and Race Manhit and Zuri Bagaloyos in the circle of category winners in the second of the three-leg Visayas series of the 14-stage Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.-organized nationwide circuit which includes four events in Mindanao next month.

In the girls’ 16-18 division, set over 72 holes, Dominique Gotiong maintained a commanding 17-stroke lead over Iloilo winner Rhiena Sinfuego, despite an 83 for a 245.

Gotiong, also from Cebu, capitalized on an even-par back nine but struggled at the front, closing with three double bogeys.

“My target is to score 4-over tomorrow (Thursday), but I need to be more consistent,” Gotiong said.

Sinfuego also finished with an 83 for a 262 while Breanna Rojas carded a 99 for a 301.

In the boys’ 16-18 division, Patrick Tambalque posted a tournament-best one-under 69, bringing his three-day total to 217. The 16-year-old from Learning Links Academy in Silang, Cavite, extended his lead to three strokes over Simon Wahing.

“I didn’t expect to shoot 1-under since my ball striking was a little off,” Tambalque said. “But I’m happy with the way I’m playing.”

Tambalque acknowledged the pressure of the final round and emphasized the importance of staying positive and focused.

Wahing and John Paul Oro also scored a pair of impressive 70s stay at second and third places with 220 and 222, respectively, promising a test of will and character in the final 18 holes.