Agustin, An pull off wins at JPGT Malarayat

LIPA City, Batangas – John Paul Agustin Jr. finally savored victory after three near-misses, including a runner-up finish in his previous outing, as he captured the boys’ 13-15 crown in the ICTSI Junior PGT Series 6 at Mount Malarayat Golf and Country Club here on Wednesday.

The field, including participants in the 16-18 division, faced another grueling day as they navigated unpredictable weather conditions on the Mt. Lobo and Mt. Malipunyo courses. 

Battling gusty winds, rain and fleeting sunshine, the young golfers vied for top honors and crucial ranking points for the upcoming Match Play Championship.

Agustin made his triumph even more remarkable, staging a stunning comeback from three strokes down with nine holes to play. He delivered a steady performance on the challenging Mt. Malipunyo nine, carding a gritty 37 and a 76 for a 155 overall.

Meanwhile, erstwhile leader John Majgen Gomez faltered under pressure, finishing with a disappointing back nine 44 and an 83.

“I knew I had a shot right from the start, being only three strokes behind the leader," said Agustin, a 15-year-old student from Elizabeth Seton School, who topped the tournament, which was reduced to 36 holes after adverse weather led to the cancellation of Monday's first round. 

"I felt good about my game, especially after hitting well on the range before the final round. My chipping and putting had improved, so I went in with confidence," added the Las Piñas-based shotmaker, who carded a 79 in the first round.

Agustin's victory came at the expense of Gomez from Taguig, who suffered a string of four bogeys from No. 14 onwards, surrendering his lead. Two strokes down with one hole to play, Gomez took a gamble on the closing par-4 but faltered, concluding his round with a costly double bogey, mirroring his last-hole from the previous day.

Gomez ended with an 83 for a 159, while pre-tournament favorite Jose Carlos Taruc, who had secured victories at Riviera and Luisita, settled for third place with an 80, finishing with a 165 total.

Agustin's victory bolstered his bid for a finals spot with just one tournament remaining in the seven-stage Luzon series, which culminates in the Match Play Championship scheduled for October 1-4 at The Country Club in Laguna. The top four players in each age division, based on their best four performances, will qualify for the national finals.

In the girls’ 13-15 division, Korean standout Yunju An held her nerve to secure victory despite a challenging finish, which saw her falter with four bogeys in the last five holes. An triumphed over top local contenders Mona Sarines, her twin sister Lisa, Kendra Garingalao, and Levonne Talion, with a final score of 151 despite shooting a 78.

An, who took early control with a 73, never relinquished her lead, extending her advantage as her rivals struggled under severe conditions. Despite a birdie on No. 11 following a frontside 39, An stumbled with three consecutive errors from No. 14 but managed to hold on, finishing with a six-over-par card.

"I didn't play well, my shots were off due to the windy conditions, which led to a lot of bogeys," said An through an interpreter. She expressed gratitude to her parents, grandmother and coach for their unwavering support.

Mona Sarines mounted a strong challenge on the Mt. Malipunyo course, but her efforts fell short as she closed with a 37 and a 77 for a total of 153, two strokes behind An. This marked Sarines' fifth runner-up finish in the series organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.

Lisa Sarines struggled with an 82 but tied with Garingalao, who slipped with an 84, at third place with 163.

In the premier 16-18 category, the results were lopsided as Luisita leg winner Lia Duque continued her dominant form, pulling away with a score of 151 despite a 78 heading into the final 18 holes. Duque extended her lead to 19 strokes over Rafa Anciano, who carded a second-round 85 for a total of 170, while Chloe Rada also finished with an 85 to take third place at 176.

"The wind affected my game today, it was tougher than yesterday. I struggled with hitting greens in regulation during the last nine holes," said Duque, who plans to adopt a more conservative approach in the final round to better handle the challenging conditions.

"I’ll focus on improving my short game to secure more pars and reduce bogeys," she added.

In the boys’ 16-18 division, Patrick Tambalque turned what began as a close contest with Rafael Mañaol into a commanding lead. He fired a 74, extending his overnight two-shot lead to an imposing eight-stroke cushion with a total of 146.

Mañaol, who birdied the second hole to briefly tie Tambalque after a two-shot swing, faltered with several bogeys and a double bogey in the final stretch.

Tambalque, in contrast, recovered with a series of pars, finishing strong despite back-to-back miscues from No. 10. Mañaol finished with an 80 for a total of 154, while Zachary Villaroman carded a 157, also after an 80. Luisita leg winner Mark Kobayashi struggled to bounce back from a first-round 80, concluding with an 82 to remain in distant fourth place at 162.

“I struggled with my putting today and missed several birdie opportunities, unlike in the first round,” said Tambalque, who is aiming for the lone finals spot in his division through the multi-series campaign.

"I'll stay patient and stick to my game plan," added Tambalque as he continues his quest for a third leg crown after winning the Visayas Series 2 and Luzon Series 4 legs.