MANILA, Philippines – Precious Zaragosa completed a big late-season surge, securing a wire-to-wire victory in the ICTSI Negros JPGT Championship at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club in Bacolod on Wednesday to book her spot in the upcoming Junior PGT Elite Grand Finals.
By winning the final two legs of the six-stage Visayas-Mindanao Series, the rising Davaoeña star rocketed from the middle of the standings to a joint-first finish. She and Tashanah Balangauan will headline a formidable South team in the girls’ 15-18 division, setting up a highly anticipated, Ryder Cup-style showdown against the North side this August in Cagayan de Oro.
Ranked fifth overall after her victory at the Pueblo de Oro leg last month, Zaragosa’s commanding performance at the par-70 Marapara layout this week propelled her to the top of the leaderboard. She finished with 42 points, tying Cebuana standout Balangauan, who had already secured the first finals berth.
Zaragosa closed out her dominant Negros run with a final-round 74 for a 13-over-par 223 total over 54 holes.
In the boys’ final, Cebuano Sebastian Sajuela turned what had appeared to be a down-to-the-wire battle into a cruising victory. Facing off against Del Monte’s Clement Ordeneza in hot and humid conditions, Sajuela clinched a two-stroke win, finishing with a 75 for a 224 total despite a double-bogey mishap on No. 18.
Apple Gotiong pulled to within two strokes off Zaragosa after an impressive frontside 36, putting pressure on the two-day leader. After storming to a six-shot lead after 36 holes, Zaragosa faltered early, wavering with four bogeys in the first eight holes.
She, however, snapped her skid with a crucial birdie on the ninth, regaining her composure with a string of pars to start the back nine. She pulled away by six again as Gotiong hobbled with three straight bogeys from No. 11.
Gotiong also finished with a four-over card for a 229. Despite her setback, the Cebuana successfully propelled her into the finals via the backdoor, raising her total to 36 points on the strength of three second-place finishes across the Vis-Min series.
Lois Laine Go shot a 79 to finish third at 242 and secure the third qualifying spot with 35 points, while Cagayan de Oro’s Mikela Guillermo, who placed fourth at 253 after an 81, grabbed the fourth and final ticket with 28 points. Guillermo effectively dislodged erstwhile No. 4 Zero Plete, who surrendered her finals aspirations by skipping this final elimination leg.
Trailing Sajuela by just one shot after 36 holes in the boys’ division, Ordeneza forced an early tie with a birdie on the opening hole. From there, the two went toe-to-toe in a fierce, shot-for-shot duel until the back nine, where Ordeneza stumbled with a costly bogey-triple bogey start.
Though Sajuela had his own missteps – wavering with consecutive bogeys from No. 11 – a clutch birdie on the 14th pushed his lead to three strokes. He never looked back, while Ordeneza dropped another shot with a bogey on the 17th, ultimately finishing with a 76 for a 226 total.
Eddie Gonzales Jr. carded a 74 to place third at 230.
Though both frontrunners had already locked up their spots in the grand finals – joining three-leg winner Alexis Nailga (45 points) and Bacolod champion Mhark Fernando III (33) – they treated the final 18 holes like a true championship match. With the victory, Sajuela walked away with 40 total points, while Ordeneza settled for 34.
Zaragosa and Ordeneza thus shared the winners' podium with lower-division champions Ana Marie Aguilar and Darren Ong (7-10), as well as Ken Guillermo and Marqaela Dy (11-14) in the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
Meanwhile, the race for the remaining national finals slots shifts to Luzon, where the final leg of the Luzon Series will take place on June 17-19 at the Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club in General Trias, Cavite.
The ICTSI North vs South Elite Junior PGT Finals will be held on Aug. 17-20 at Pueblo de Oro. TMT
