Glory in Pradera for Villaroman, Pak

MANILA, Philippines — Zachary Villaroman and Korean debutant Seeun Pak fashioned out contrasting wins in ruling the 15-18 division in the ICTSI Pradera Verde Junior PGT Championship yesterday in Lubao, Pampanga.

While Villaroman fought fiercely to finally taste victory after five legs of near-misses with a closing 75, Pak cruised to a commanding title run in her maiden appearance in the country’s premier junior circuit, navigating the tough Pinatubo layout with poise despite a closing 85.

Both players capitalized on the sizeable leads they built over the first two rounds of the 54-hole event, the penultimate leg of the seven-stage Luzon series organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., turning the final 18 holes into a virtual coronation walk.

For Villaroman, the win was as sweet as it was overdue. After one runner-up and three third-place finishes in the prior legs, the 73-70-75 effort that brought him to a two-over 218 total finally pushed him to the top of the leaderboard.

But it didn’t come easy.

“It feels great to finally have a breakthrough after six legs,” said the 17-year-old Villaroman, who trains at Cangolf and credits his breakthrough to better decision-making on the course.