Agustin beats Gomez for Malarayat plum

MANILA, Philippines — John Paul Agustin Jr. 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 in Lipa, Batangas yesterday.

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 reduced to 36 holes after adverse weather led to the cancellation of Monday’s first round.

In the girls’ 13-15 division, Korean standout Yunju An triumphed despite a challenging finish, beating top local contenders Mona Sarines, her twin sister Lisa, Kendra Garingalao, and Levonne Talion, with a final score of 151 after a 78.