{"id":3280,"date":"2025-06-25T22:37:05","date_gmt":"2025-06-25T22:37:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pinoystep.com\/?p=3280"},"modified":"2025-06-26T00:58:41","modified_gmt":"2025-06-26T00:58:41","slug":"newcomers-take-center-stage-in-ictsi-jpgt-in-bukidnon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pinoystep.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/25\/newcomers-take-center-stage-in-ictsi-jpgt-in-bukidnon\/","title":{"rendered":"Newcomers take center stage in ICTSI JPGT in Bukidnon"},"content":{"rendered":"

BUKIDNON \u2013 A couple of first-timers powered hopes for a breakthrough start in the ICTSI<\/a> Junior PGT Series, while a compelling mix of seasoned and emerging talents took charge in four other divisions in spirited play that marked Tuesday\u2019s opening round of the Del Monte JPGT Championship here.<\/p>\n

In the 7-10 category, Davao\u2019s Soleil Molde and Jamie Barnes of Cagayan de Oro stole the spotlight from local bets, carding rounds of 77 and 72, respectively, at the challenging Del Monte Golf Club to move within 18 holes of a breakthrough win in the two-day tournament, kicking off the four-week Mindanao swing of the Vis-Min Series.<\/p>\n

Molde, who competed in the Drive-Chip-Putt event of the JPGT circuit in 2023, is playing her first full JPGT 18-hole tournament with ambitions beyond just the leg win \u2013 including a coveted spot in the North and South Elite Junior Finals at The Country Club in October.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was fun. I actually expected to lead,\u201d said the confident 8-year-old homeschooler. \u201cOne thing I like about golf is its challenges. In golf, you can also make friends with other people.\u201d Molde shrugged off a stumble on No. 17 to preserve a 39-38 round and lead CDO\u2019s Francesco Geroy by three.<\/p>\n

Geroy bogeyed four times on the back nine for an 80 on a course playing under lift, clean and place rules due to softened conditions from nightly rain. Claren Qui\u00f1o carded an 82 for third, while Sistine Yu and local bet Maegan Langamin turned in rounds of 86 and 87, respectively.<\/p>\n

On the boys\u2019 side of the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., Barnes impressed with a steady 35-37 card highlighted by three birdies against one bogey and a double bogey, seizing a four-stroke lead over Davao\u2019s Ethan Lago and Cebu\u2019s Kvan Alburo, who both shot 76s.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is my first time, and I really like this course,\u201d said Barnes, a student at Wellington College in Bangkok. Though new to the circuit, the 9-year-old already has 14-15 titles and about 20 trophies to his name. He capped his round with a brilliant chip-in birdie on No. 14 after finding his ball near the bunker.<\/p>\n

Lago faded with three closing bogeys, while Alburo couldn\u2019t recover from a frontside 39. Lucas Revilleza from Davao stayed in contention with a 77.<\/p>\n

In the girls\u2019 11-14 class, also disputed over 36 holes, Davao\u2019s Kimberly Baroquillo delivered a gritty one-over 73 behind three birdies and four bogeys to take a two-shot lead over Brittany Tamayo, who won the Mactan leg of the Visayas series.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t expect to score this good. I was playing bad lately, shooting in the 80s,\u201d said the 13-year-old Baroquillo, who sank a monster 55-foot birdie putt on the par-3 16th to spike her round.<\/p>\n

Tamayo, still grieving the recent passing of her grandfather, Rep. Reynaldo Tamayo, managed a 75 after a strong 37 on the back nine. CDO\u2019s Isabella Espina shot an 81, followed by Bukidnon\u2019s Angel Wahing (84), and locals Yvonne Colim (90) and Ayla Pavadora (93).<\/p>\n

In the boys\u2019 11-14 division, CDO\u2019s Ken Guillermo took a slim lead with a two-under 70, but South Cotabato\u2019s Jared Saban closed in with a fiery 71, fueled by three birdies in the last four holes at the front. Marcus Due\u00f1as of Valencia faded with a 77, while Laurence Saban carded a 79.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t expect to shoot two-under, but I just focused on playing the best I could,\u201d said 13-year-old Guillermo from Xavier University\u2013Ateneo de Cagayan. \u201cI think I gave it my all today \u2013 hopefully, I can go even lower tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the premier 15-18 age group, set over 54 holes, local ace Alexis Nailga launched his bid for back-to-back wins after dominating the Mactan leg, birdieing the 18th to salvage an even-par 72. He led by two over CDO\u2019s Armando Copok and Cebu\u2019s Nyito Tiongko, who both carded 74s, while last year\u2019s Match Play winner Clement Ordeneza fumbled with a 75.<\/p>\n

Mhark Fernando III and Roman Tiongko stayed within reach with rounds of 77 and 78, respectively.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

ICTSI Junior PGT Series Bukidnon<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3281,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[201],"class_list":["post-3280","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-ictsi-juniors-pgt"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pinoystep.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3280","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pinoystep.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pinoystep.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pinoystep.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pinoystep.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3280"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/pinoystep.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3280\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3284,"href":"https:\/\/pinoystep.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3280\/revisions\/3284"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pinoystep.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3281"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pinoystep.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3280"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pinoystep.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3280"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pinoystep.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3280"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}