Zaragosa takes thriller vs Plete

MANILA, Philippines — A week after suffering a heartbreaking one-shot loss to Zero Plete at Del Monte, Precious Zaragosa delivered a stirring comeback of her own, erasing a five-stroke deficit before outlasting her rival in sudden death for the girls’ 15-18 division crown in the ICTSI Junior PGT Pueblo de Oro Championship yesterday.

Zaragosa completed the dramatic turnaround with nerves of steel, draining a clutch four-foot par putt in the playoff after Plete cracked under pressure and missed an eight-foot par attempt for a costly three-putt miscue on No. 9 of the Pueblo de Oro Golf and Country Club in Cagayan de Oro.

The victory was as emotional as it was sweet. Zaragosa threw her arms up in triumph while Plete, denied a second straight Visayas-Mindanao Series title, broke down in tears after the stunning reversal.