Miko Granada exploded with 62 points to run away with the boys’ crown while Alethea Gaccion snared the girls’ trophy with 53 points in the Junior PGT Series at the Caliraya Springs Golf Club in Cavinti, Laguna last Monday.
Granada, priming up for a premier junior tournament in the US next month, put up a solid eight-under 64 in calm conditions, coming away with six birdies to produce a pair of 32s he laced with an eagle on the par-5 No. 4 of the par-72 course, which also hosted a Philippine Golf Tour leg last April.
That led to 62 points under the Modified Stableford scoring system and an 11-point romp over Zachary Villaroman, who shot three birdies against four bogeys for a 73 worth 51 points in the premier 13-15 age group category of the series that drew 26 players.
Shinichi Suzuki also posted 51 points from a gross 73 but Villaroman took the runner-up honors via countback, pooling 29 points in the last 9 holes against the former’s 24 points at the rolling layout which also hosted the boys’ and girls’ 9-10 and 11-12 tournament last month.
Gaccion, on the other hand, pounded out 53 points from an up-and-down gross of 73 that featured five birdies against four bogeys and a double bogey as she edged Velinda Castil by two points in their side of the battle in the 18-hole tournament organized by the PGT under the ICTSI golf program.
Castil fought back from a two-bogey, one-double bogey card after 13 holes with a birdie on No. 14 but closed out with four pars for a 75 worth 51 points while Kiara Therese Montebon likewise fell short of her rally, birdying Nos. 16 and 17 for a 76 and 50 points.
Meanwhile, the JPGT Series, staged to provide the youngsters a venue to polish their skills and help prepare them for bigger competitions here and abroad, will resume on July 16 back at The Country Club Invitational in Laguna.
The circuit was launched at the TCC last January with the drive-chip-and-putt competition, which will again be the format of the next tournament featuring 9-10, 11-12 and 13-15 age group classes.
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