Manila: Filipino golfer Zachary Villaroman and Korean player Seeun Pak emerged victorious in their respective divisions in the 15-18 category of the ICTSI Pradera Verde Junior Philippine Golf Tour (JPGT) Championship on Thursday. Villaroman clinched his first win with a closing score of 75.
According to Philippines News Agency, Villaroman, aged 17, expressed his satisfaction with the victory, noting it as a significant milestone after six legs of competition. He achieved a total score of 218. Villaroman remarked, “This win means a lot. It serves as a stepping stone for all my international events this year.”
Jose Carlos Taruc secured second place with a score of 76, totaling 225, while Kristoffer Nadales finished third with a score of 77, totaling 234. Villaroman’s success propelled him to the third position in the rankings with 37 points. Patrick Tambalque and Shinichi Suzuki held the first two positions with 45 and 39 points, respectively, as they move towards the final leg at Camp John Hay in Baguio. Nadales and Taruc followed in the rankings with 32 and 30 points, respectively. The top four players who have participated in at least three tournaments will qualify for the Elite Junior Finals scheduled for October 7-10 at The Country Club in Laguna.
In the girls’ division, Pak scored an 85, achieving a total of 249 to claim her first title in the JPGT. Tiffany Bernardino finished second with a closing score of 89, totaling 266, edging out Chloe Rada, who scored 93, through a countback. Angelica Ba±ez secured fourth place with a score of 94, totaling 276. Bernardino remained fourth in the series standings with 30 points, while Rada held the third position with 32 points. Rafa Anciano and Levonne Talion led the standings with 45 and 39 points, respectively.
Pak, an 18-year-old homeschooled student from Angeles City, Pampanga, shared her mixed feelings about her performance, stating, “I wasn’t satisfied with my game today, but I’m thankful I won.” Despite her victory, Pak plans to improve her game for future tournaments. However, she will not participate in the final leg of the Luzon series at John Hay next week due to a prior commitment.
In the younger divisions, Zoji Edoc and Ronee Dungca won the 7-10 category, while Zianbeau Edoc and Lisa Sarines claimed victory in the 11-14 category.
