TRECE MARTIRES, Cavite – Rafa Anciano shook off the ghosts of her final-round collapse at Eagle Ridge, displaying remarkable composure and maturity to clinch a dominant eight-stroke victory over Levonne Talion despite an 83 in the ICTSI Sherwood Hills Junior PGT Championship on Thursday at Sherwood Hills Golf Club.
Still haunted by her sudden-death heartbreak just two weeks ago to Talion, Anciano returned with renewed focus and unwavering determination. This time, she made sure there would be no late-round collapse.
Building on her commanding five-shot overnight lead, she extended it to eight by the turn and never looked back, carding a 43-40 for a 54-hole total of 259 to clinch the girls’ 15-18 division crown in emphatic fashion.
Talion, who erased an eight-stroke deficit in the final round to force a playoff – and ultimately edge Anciano on the second sudden-death hole at Eagle Ridge – briefly threatened another stunning comeback in hot conditions.
She trimmed the gap to five strokes at one point, rekindling hopes of a rally. But Anciano held her ground this time, reeling off a steady string of pars from No. 14 and finishing with a bogey – by then, the title well in hand.
Talion faltered down the stretch, double-bogeying No. 15 and closing with back-to-back bogeys for an 86 and a 267, while Chloe Rada wound up third with a 92 for a 279.
“I was trying not to think about redemption because it would just stress me out,” said Anciano, downplaying her earlier disappointing loss at Eagle Ridge. “But in the end, as I holed out, I told myself, ‘This is it.’ I felt really good, and it gave me more confidence moving forward.”
More importantly, her commanding victory proved that even on a long course, under tough conditions, and against formidable opponents, the 16-year-old Anciano – playing her first tournament at the challenging Sherwood Hills layout – could still rise to the occasion.
“I showed that I can still play my best, that I can still perform well, and that I’m capable of winning,” she said, adding that her driving played a key role in her breakthrough win in the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
In the boys’ premier category, Patrick Tambalque staged a thrilling comeback of his own. Trailing by four, he caught fire late on the front nine, then capitalized on John Paul Agustin Jr.’s stumble early at the back to seize control.
Tambalque kept his composure to finish with a 74, securing a two-stroke victory with a 224 total.
Agustin, who surged ahead with three straight birdies from No. 4, unraveled after the turn. A costly run of double bogey-bogey-bogey from No. 10 derailed his bid, and he ended up with a 75 for a 226.
Zach Villaroman, who had matched Tambalque’s rounds of 76 and 74 through 36 holes, slipped out of title contention after a frontside 40 and couldn’t recover, finishing with an 81 for third place at 231.
Tambalque credited his patience for his thrilling triumph.
“I was down by four shots, but my mindset was just to stay calm and keep going,” said Tambalque in Filipino.
After a tight battle from the first round – first with Villaroman, then with Agustin in the final round – Tambalque said he began to sense victory after birdieing Nos. 12 and 13.
“There was pressure, but you have to know how to handle it. I felt like I had the win in hand when I gained two strokes with those back-to-back birdies,” he said.
“This victory means a lot because it’s my first JPGT tournament of the year. I’m really proud of myself that even in such a close fight, I was able to come out on top,” added Tambalque.
Bien Fajardo turned in a 76 to share fourth place with Jose Carlos Taruc (79) at 236, while Rafael Leonio (78) and Andres Fabie (79) finished sixth and seventh with 239 and 241, respectively.
