What began as closely contested matchups turned into decisive victories as Brittany Tamayo and Ralph Batican stamped their class in the ICTSI Mactan Island Junior PGT Championship on Tuesday.
Early morning showers added length and difficulty to the rain-softened Mactan Island Golf Course, presenting an added challenge for the finalists across four age-group divisions.
Despite the tough conditions, Day 2 delivered standout performances and dramatic shifts, setting a high bar for the first leg of the seven-part Visayas-Mindanao Series.
Tamayo and Batican emerged as the biggest winners in the 11-14 age category, dominating their respective divisions in contrasting fashion.
Tamayo, a rising talent from South Cotabato, capitalized on a faltering finish by overnight leader Zuri Bagaloyos of Mandaue to clinch the girls’ title with a closing 73 and a 36-hole total of 150. Bagaloyos stumbled with a costly triple bogey on the par-4 No. 8, leading to a final-round 79 and second-place finish at 155.
Margaux Espina finished third after an 82 for a 159, followed by Rafella Batican’s 79 for 160.
The 13-year-old Tamayo had to make adjustments due to the course conditions.
“The fairways were wet, so the ball wouldn’t roll, and the greens were quite receptive,” she observed.
Looking ahead to the finals, Tamayo emphasized the importance of staying focused, though she remains undecided on which tournaments to join in the remaining six legs of the Vis-Min series.
“I know I can do more,” she said, drawing motivation from within. She credited her success to focus, hard work, self-confidence, and maintaining a positive mindset throughout.
On the boys’ side, Batican completed a wire-to-wire victory, extending his two-stroke overnight lead with an impressive stretch featuring five birdies and just two bogeys over 11 holes. His second straight birdie on the par-5 15th sealed an impressive three-under 65 marred by a last-hole mishap, securing a four-shot win on an even 136 total.
Ken Guillermo mounted a spirited rally, highlighted by an eagle on the 15th, but ultimately ran out of holes in his comeback bid. He matched Batican’s 65 and snatched runner-up honors at 140.
Jared Saban of South Cotabato matched par 68 and slipped to third at 141 in the 36-hole tournament sponsored by ICTSI.
“I needed to adjust my yardage since there was practically no roll on the fairway,” said 13-year-old Batican from the talent-rich province of Bukidnon.
“I visualized my shots and focused on ball placement.”
A protégé of golf legend Frankie Miñoza, Batican shared that he aims to sharpen his overall game in preparation for the North vs. South finals.
The post Mindanao’s Tamayo, Batican top JPGT Mactan first appeared on Fastbreak.
0 comments: