LUBAO, Pampanga – Lisa Sarines triumphed in the girls’ 11-14 category of the Junior Philippine Golf Tour Luzon Series 2, scoring a wire-to-wire victory with a 72, while Geoffrey Tan dominated the boys’ side at the Pradera Verde Golf and Country Club here yesterday (Thursday).
Sarines, who finished third in the JPGT’s kickoff leg at Splendido Taal, secured her first series win by holding onto her overnight four-stroke lead over Levonne Talion, despite a shaky front nine stint that featured three birdies, a bogey and a double-bogey.
Her even-par card in the final round brought her to a 54-hole total of 223, five strokes clear of twin sister Mona.
Talion, who seized solo second with a 76 Wednesday, fell five strokes behind with a frontside 37. Despite a birdie on the 12th, she missed opportunities to close the gap, bogeying two of the last five holes for a 74 for a 229, enabling Mona Sarines, who also matched par 72, to snatch runner-up honors at 228.
Series I champion Precious Zaragosa struggled to an 82 and ended up fourth with 248.
“There was pressure because Mona started making more birdies than me, and I knew she could catch up if I made a mistake on any hole. I was aware she could easily take advantage,” said Lisa, 12. Despite this, she relied on her mother’s advice “to just manage the pressure.”
“I was able to handle it (pressure) in the end,” added Lisa, who acknowledged the need to improve her long game, putting and course management. “This win means a lot to me, and I’m happy that I won.”
Tan, meanwhile, marked his JPGT debut with a resounding 19-stroke victory over first leg winner Vito Sarines with a closing 70. He took a commanding 12-stroke lead after 18 holes following an impressive two-under 70 and stretched it to 18 with a 73 in the second round.
Despite some struggles, including dropping two strokes on the fifth hole and bogeying the next, Tan’s closing two-under card secured a total of 213, well ahead of the 19-player field, setting a record early in the series.
Vito Sarines finished way back at 232 after a 71, while Zianbeau Edoc placed third at 237 after a 76.
“I didn’t expect to dominate because I knew I had tough competitors,” said the 14-year-old Tan, reflecting on his runaway victory. “I feel good about this win, it has given me the confidence I need for my upcoming competitions in the US.”
Tan is set to participate in several tournaments in North Carolina before heading to the Junior World in San Diego in July.
Lisa Sarines and Tan thus joined Ryuji Suzuki and Georgina Handog, who topped the 8-10 division on Wednesday, with Suzuki emerging as the first player to achieve back-to-back victories in the 14-leg series, organized to promote the sport and discover new talents through its nationwide circuit. Three legs are scheduled in the Visayas while the Mindanao swing will feature four tournaments.
Despite her day-long struggle with her shots, Jiwon Lee maintained firm control in the girls’ 15-18 division of the three-category series put up by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. She built a commanding 12-stroke lead with an eagle-spiked 66 in the first round and extended it to 18 shots with a 72 Wednesday, before settling for a 17-stroke lead with a 74 in the third round.
“I struggled today (yesterday), I had very bad drives and very bad irons. I wasn’t doing really well with the up-and-down, which is why I scored a lot of bogeys,” rued Lee, who shot five birdies but negated them with five bogeys and a double-bogey.
