GEN. TRIAS, Cavite – Jacob Casuga and Quincy Pilac produced the most valuable runner-up finishes of their young careers, weathering a nerve-racking battle for qualification and squeezing into the Elite Junior PGT Finals by the slimmest of margins after a dramatic Luzon Series finale at the ICTSI Eagle Ridge Junior PGT Championship here on Thursday.
With their championship hopes hanging by a thread, Casuga and Pilac rose to the occasion, each finishing second in their respective divisions to secure enough ranking points and claim the fourth and final Luzon berths to the North vs. South Finals set Aug. 17-20 at Pueblo de Oro Golf and Country Club.
Quincy Pilac
The fight for qualification proved every bit as intense as the tournament itself at the demanding Aoki layout of the Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club, with leaderboard swings, late collapses and clutch finishes determining the final cast of contenders.
Entering the week ranked sixth in the boys’ 11-14 division, Casuga staged a stirring comeback from five shots behind and even grabbed the lead before disaster struck. A bogey-double bogey finish spoiled an otherwise gutsy round of 75, leaving him at 151 and in second behind Chan Anh, who also stumbled with a closing double bogey but sealed the title with a 148 total after a 76.
Ryuji Suzuki charged into third with a 74 for 153, while overnight leader Javie Bautista faltered with an 83 after a 71 and tumbled to fourth at 154.
Chan Anh
Still, Casuga’s runner-up finish proved enough. He finished the series with 30 points, tying Suzuki for fourth overall but claiming the last Finals seat via tiebreak. He joins Anh, Vito Sarines and Bautista on the North squad.
Pilac’s path to the Finals was equally dramatic. Needing a big finish to stay alive, she delivered a clutch closing 72 for a 150 total. Although a late stumble denied her the title, the runner-up effort earned the ranking points she needed to secure the fourth and final girls’ berth.
Cailey Gonzales snatched the division crown with a 75 and a 149 aggregate, while Aerin Chan struggled to a 79 and settled for third at 155.
The result sparked a dramatic shift in the standings. Pilac’s runner-up finish netted 12 points, boosting her total to 31 from only three tournaments and allowing her to edge Chan, who finished with 30 points after three third-place efforts.
But Casuga and Pilac were not the only players to rewrite the script in the Luzon Series finale, played under sweltering heat and gusty winds.
In the girls’ 7-10 category, Jaicee Cervantes delivered one of the week’s most dominant performances, firing an eagle-aided 71 to complete a 147 total and romp to an 11-shot victory over Tyly Bernardino, who carded a 77 for 158. Jehanne Mendoza placed third at 160 after an 83.
The victory capped Cervantes’ remarkable late-season surge, highlighted by her triumph in the fifth Luzon leg at Beverly Place. Despite playing only the minimum three tournaments required, she amassed 38 points and clinched a Finals berth alongside Winter Serapio, Andrea Dee and Mendoza.
“I’m happy because my hard work is paying off, and I hope to bring that same consistency to the finals,” said Cervantes, whose charge was sparked by an eagle on No. 10 after holing out a 54-degree half-swing approach following a solid drive.
The nine-year-old Assumption College student admitted she was not thinking about winning. “I just wanted to stay focused throughout the round. Winning was simply a bonus,” said Cervantes, who trains at Manila Southwoods and Alabang Country Club.
Like Cervantes, Gonzales entered the week with modest expectations. “I just wanted to have fun since most of my friends were playing. I really wasn’t thinking about making the podium,” said the 13-year-old Brent International School student.
Yet Gonzales produced the shot that ultimately decided the title race. On No. 8, she stuffed her approach to within five feet and converted the birdie putt to gain a crucial two-shot swing over Pilac, who holed out with. bogey. “That birdie gave me a 1-up lead,” she said.
Looking ahead to the Finals, Gonzales vowed to focus on consistency through daily training and practice.
Meanwhile, heartbreak struck in the boys’ 7-10 division. Asher Abad appeared headed for a Finals berth after taking command midway through the round. Despite four bogeys from No. 10, he steadied himself with four straight pars and remained on course for second place before disaster unfolded on the final hole. Two errant shots led to a costly triple bogey and an 83, dropping him from second to fourth at 157, one stroke behind joint runners-up Sooreen Lee (75) and Mateo dela Cruz (79), who tied at 156.
Drake Matias topped the division with a 152 despite a 78 but is out of Finals contention.
Abad’s meltdown left him with only eight points and a series total of 28, enabling Kenzo Tan and Kingston Ching to cling to the last two Finals berths with 31 and 30 points, respectively, despite finishing only fifth and sixth in the final leg.
Tan faltered with an 85 for a 162 while Ching finished with a 166 after an 86.
Zach Guico and Zoji Edoc, who led the standings with 42 points each, complete the North lineup.
The battle for the remaining Finals spots in the boys’ 15-18 division also intensified as Jakob Taruc surged ahead with a 74 for a 149 total, opening a four-shot lead over Harry Sales, who stumbled with a 79 for 153, while Lujo Gomez pooled a 155 after a 77 heading to the final 18 holes.
A victory would officially secure Taruc the fourth and final Finals berth behind Tristan Padilla, Shinichi Suzuki and Geoffrey Tan.
“My chipping wasn’t as sharp as it was in the first round, but my putting clicked, so it wasn’t much of a problem because I played more consistently,” said 16-year-old Taruc.
Looking ahead to the final round, Taruc vowed to stay composed and find a more consistent swing as he seeks to close out the Luzon series with back-to-back victories after his dominant win at the Beverly Place leg.
In the girls’ premier division, Rafa Anciano seized control after carding an 81 for a 161 aggregate, moving three shots ahead of Kendra Garingalao, who struggled with an 84 for 164. Levonne Talion also found the conditions tough, posting an 83 for a 165 total.
“I had to stay patient throughout the day, so I focused on my putting and waited for opportunities to save pars. That helped me move from second place to the top of the leaderboard,” said Anciano.
“I played well on the front nine and shot a 37, but I struggled in the last nine holes. Hopefully, I can go even lower tomorrow,” said 17-year-old Anciano, who headed straight to the driving range after her round to fine-tune her swing.
“I need to work on my driving and make more putts tomorrow,” she added.
With sisters Lisa and Mona Sarines already assured of Finals spots, Garingalao (37 points), Anciano (35) and Talion (32) remain locked in a fierce battle for the last two berths, setting the stage for a pressure-packed finish.
Jacob Casuga
GEN. TRIAS, Cavite – Jacob Casuga and Quincy Pilac produced the most valuable runner-up finishes of their young careers, weathering a nerve-racking battle for qualification and squeezing into the Elite Junior PGT Finals by the slimmest of margins after a dramatic Luzon Series finale at the ICTSI Eagle Ridge Junior PGT Championship here on Thursday.
With their championship hopes hanging by a thread, Casuga and Pilac rose to the occasion, each finishing second in their respective divisions to secure enough ranking points and claim the fourth and final Luzon berths to the North vs. South Finals set Aug. 17-20 at Pueblo de Oro Golf and Country Club.
The fight for qualification proved every bit as intense as the tournament itself at the demanding Aoki layout of the Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club, with leaderboard swings, late collapses and clutch finishes determining the final cast of contenders.
Entering the week ranked sixth in the boys’ 11-14 division, Casuga staged a stirring comeback from five shots behind and even grabbed the lead before disaster struck. A bogey-double bogey finish spoiled an otherwise gutsy round of 75, leaving him at 151 and in second behind Chan Anh, who also stumbled with a closing double bogey but sealed the title with a 148 total after a 76.
Ryuji Suzuki charged into third with a 74 for 153, while overnight leader Javie Bautista faltered with an 83 after a 71 and tumbled to fourth at 154.
Still, Casuga’s runner-up finish proved enough. He finished the series with 30 points, tying Suzuki for fourth overall but claiming the last Finals seat via tiebreak. He joins Anh, Vito Sarines and Bautista on the North squad.
Pilac’s path to the Finals was equally dramatic. Needing a big finish to stay alive, she delivered a clutch closing 72 for a 150 total. Although a late stumble denied her the title, the runner-up effort earned the ranking points she needed to secure the fourth and final girls’ berth.
Cailey Gonzales snatched the division crown with a 75 and a 149 aggregate, while Aerin Chan struggled to a 79 and settled for third at 155.
The result sparked a dramatic shift in the standings. Pilac’s runner-up finish netted 12 points, boosting her total to 31 from only three tournaments and allowing her to edge Chan, who finished with 30 points after three third-place efforts.
But Casuga and Pilac were not the only players to rewrite the script in the Luzon Series finale, played under sweltering heat and gusty winds.
In the girls’ 7-10 category, Jaicee Cervantes delivered one of the week’s most dominant performances, firing an eagle-aided 71 to complete a 147 total and romp to an 11-shot victory over Tyly Bernardino, who carded a 77 for 158. Jehanne Mendoza placed third at 160 after an 83.
The victory capped Cervantes’ remarkable late-season surge, highlighted by her triumph in the fifth Luzon leg at Beverly Place. Despite playing only the minimum three tournaments required, she amassed 38 points and clinched a Finals berth alongside Winter Serapio, Andrea Dee and Mendoza.
“I’m happy because my hard work is paying off, and I hope to bring that same consistency to the finals,” said Cervantes, whose charge was sparked by an eagle on No. 10 after holing out a 54-degree half-swing approach following a solid drive.
The nine-year-old Assumption College student admitted she was not thinking about winning. “I just wanted to stay focused throughout the round. Winning was simply a bonus,” said Cervantes, who trains at Manila Southwoods and Alabang Country Club.
Like Cervantes, Gonzales entered the week with modest expectations. “I just wanted to have fun since most of my friends were playing. I really wasn’t thinking about making the podium,” said the 13-year-old Brent International School student.
Yet Gonzales produced the shot that ultimately decided the title race. On No. 8, she stuffed her approach to within five feet and converted the birdie putt to gain a crucial two-shot swing over Pilac, who holed out with. bogey. “That birdie gave me a 1-up lead,” she said.
Looking ahead to the Finals, Gonzales vowed to focus on consistency through daily training and practice.
Meanwhile, heartbreak struck in the boys’ 7-10 division. Asher Abad appeared headed for a Finals berth after taking command midway through the round. Despite four bogeys from No. 10, he steadied himself with four straight pars and remained on course for second place before disaster unfolded on the final hole. Two errant shots led to a costly triple bogey and an 83, dropping him from second to fourth at 157, one stroke behind joint runners-up Sooreen Lee (75) and Mateo dela Cruz (79), who tied at 156.
Drake Matias topped the division with a 152 despite a 78 but is out of Finals contention.
Abad’s meltdown left him with only eight points and a series total of 28, enabling Kenzo Tan and Kingston Ching to cling to the last two Finals berths with 31 and 30 points, respectively, despite finishing only fifth and sixth in the final leg.
Tan faltered with an 85 for a 162 while Ching finished with a 166 after an 86.
Zach Guico and Zoji Edoc, who led the standings with 42 points each, complete the North lineup.
The battle for the remaining Finals spots in the boys’ 15-18 division also intensified as Jakob Taruc surged ahead with a 74 for a 149 total, opening a four-shot lead over Harry Sales, who stumbled with a 79 for 153, while Lujo Gomez pooled a 155 after a 77 heading to the final 18 holes.
A victory would officially secure Taruc the fourth and final Finals berth behind Tristan Padilla, Shinichi Suzuki and Geoffrey Tan.
“My chipping wasn’t as sharp as it was in the first round, but my putting clicked, so it wasn’t much of a problem because I played more consistently,” said 16-year-old Taruc.
Looking ahead to the final round, Taruc vowed to stay composed and find a more consistent swing as he seeks to close out the Luzon series with back-to-back victories after his dominant win at the Beverly Place leg.
In the girls’ premier division, Rafa Anciano seized control after carding an 81 for a 161 aggregate, moving three shots ahead of Kendra Garingalao, who struggled with an 84 for 164. Levonne Talion also found the conditions tough, posting an 83 for a 165 total.
“I had to stay patient throughout the day, so I focused on my putting and waited for opportunities to save pars. That helped me move from second place to the top of the leaderboard,” said Anciano.
“I played well on the front nine and shot a 37, but I struggled in the last nine holes. Hopefully, I can go even lower tomorrow,” said 17-year-old Anciano, who headed straight to the driving range after her round to fine-tune her swing.
“I need to work on my driving and make more putts tomorrow,” she added.
With sisters Lisa and Mona Sarines already assured of Finals spots, Garingalao (37 points), Anciano (35) and Talion (32) remain locked in a fierce battle for the last two berths, setting the stage for a pressure-packed finish.
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