Mona Sarines and Javier Bautista hacked out a pair of narrow victories to share the 11-12 age division honors in the 18-hole stroke play format at Mount Malarayat last Monday and lead eight others to the national finals of the ICTSI JPGT Series.
Sarines carded a 78 she highlighted with three straight birdies from No. 7 of Mt. Lobo for a 48-point output under the Molave points system as she pulled off a two-point win over Precious Zaragosa, who scored 46 points from a gross 80 with Lisa Sarines placing third with an 83 worth 43 points.
Bautista, on the other hand, came through with an 85 worth 41 points to nip Jacobo Gomez, who made 38 points from a gross 88, while Matteo Gallardo carded a 90 for third with 36 points.
Also making it to the October national finals of the inaugural series put up by ICTSI are Zaragosa, Lisa Sarines, Tiffany Bernardino and Althea Bañez, while Aenzo Sulaik, Jacobo Gomez, Gallardo and Lujo Gomez will crowd Bautista in the culmination of the year-long circuit that also features the drive, chip and putt skills competition.
Chloe Rada, meanwhile, posted an 84 worth 42 points as she topped the girls’ 13-14 category with two-leg winner Levonne Talion settling for second with 39 points from a gross 87 after edging Rafa Anciano, who also turned in an 87 for 39 points, in the countback.
The victory likewise netted Rada a spot in the national finals as she wound up fourth in the overall standings topped by Talion. Anciano placed second while Monserrat Lapuz and Chloe Lim ended up Nos. 3 and 5 to claim the last two berths.
In the 9-10 category, Cailey Gonzales and Quincy Pilac matched 48-point outputs from a pair of 78s but the former secured the win via countback. Georgina Handog came in third with an 83 for 43 points in the girls’ side.
Race Manhit, meantime, dashed to victory in boys’ play, scoring 49 points from a gross 77 to beat Ryuji Suzuki, who had 44 points after an 82, while Jacob Casuga shot 43 points from a gross 83 to place third in the one-day tournament organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
Manhit and Pilac also led eight others to national finals with Suzuki, Vito Sarines, Casuga and Jose Luis Espinosa joining the former and Makayla Verano, Gonzales, Handog and Maurysse Abalos spicing up the cast in the distaff side.
Meanwhile, the series moves to the south for the ICTSI JPGT VisMin Classic on Sept. 1-2 at Pueblo de Oro featuring both the 18-hole stroke play and drive, chip and putt competitions in 9-10, 11-12, 13-14 and 15-18 (boys and girls) age group divisions.