BUKIDNON—Zero Plete edged out Isabella Tabanas with a clutch birdie from the fringe in sudden death, winning the girls’ 13-15 age category of the ICTSI Junior PGT Mindanao Series 3 at Del Monte Golf Club here on Thursday.
Plete, who started the final round three shots behind, mounted a strong comeback with a birdie-filled back nine. She took a one-stroke lead to the 18th hole, but Tabanas responded with a birdie of her own from six feet to force a playoff at 224.
Plete closed with a 73, while Tabanas faltered with a 76.
As the pressure mounted in the playoff, both players struggled with their approach on the par-5 18th with Tabanas miscalculating her shot from 50 yards and Plete’s ball barely reaching the fringe from a closer spot.
But after Tabanas’ chip shot from 20 yards left her five feet past the hole for potential par, Plete made a spectacular putt from 10 feet to clinch the victory, drawing cheers from the gallery and leaving Tabanas frustrated.
“It was nerve-wracking on the last hole,” Plete admitted. “Playing against my best friend in a playoff was very scary. Winning this series for the first time is a huge achievement for me, though I know it will bring more pressure.”
Plete’s victory was a redemption of sorts after leading the first round of the Mindanao Series 2 at South Pacific last week but falling short. She matched Tabanas’ opening 74 on Tuesday and fell by three with a second-round 77.
Despite miscues from Tabanas, Plete’s perseverance and birdies on Nos. 12 and 14 secured her first win in the nationwide series put up by ICTSI to provide young golfers with diverse venues and formats to refine their skills.
Finalist Rane Chiu from Cebu placed third with a 248 after an 80.
In the boys’ 13-15 division, Alexis Nailga outdueled fellow local player Clement Ordeneza, winning by three strokes with a 54-hole total of 219.
Nailga, who placed second to AJ Wacan at South Pacific, showed resilience, matching Ordeneza’s last three pars to card a 73.
“I was pressured after bogeying No. 15, but I stayed focused,” said the 15-year-old Nailga from Montessori Academy. “This win boosts my confidence, but I’m aware of the pressure to perform in the next tournament.”
Ordeneza also finished with a 73 for a 222, while Luciano Copok from Manila took third with a 236 after a 79.
In the girls’ 16-18 division, Ally Gaccion of Cagayan de Oro all but sealed the title with a 71 and a 54-hole aggregate of three-under 213. She distanced herself from Bukidnon’s Crista Miñoza, who faltered with an 85 after a decent second-round 75, finishing 30 strokes behind Gaccion with 243.
“My drives and irons were better, and I made good putts,” said Gaccion, who described her round as “average” despite the strong performance. She bogeyed two of the first three holes but recovered with four birdies and just one additional bogey.
In the boys’ 16-18 division, Cliff Nuñeza overcame a five-shot deficit with a gutsy 74, taking the lead at 226.
Despite struggling with a 77, halfway leader John Rey Oro remained within striking distance at 228, while two-stage winner Patrick Tambalque shot a 75 to close in at 230, setting the stage for a thrilling final round in the premier category of the nationwide series culminating in the Match Play Championship at The Country Club in Laguna in October.
