LUBAO, Pampanga — Ryuji Suzuki cemented his spot among the best players in the 8-10 division of the Junior Philippine Golf Tour (JPGT) after booking a hard-fought victory by thwarting Jose Luis Espinosa for the second straight time with a 71 at the Pradera Verde Golf and Country Club on Wednesday here.

Duplicating his performance from the first round, Suzuki added more brilliance to his game after firing four birdies against three bogeys to finish with a 36-35 for a 36-hole total of 143 to rule the JPGT Luzon Series 2.

“It feels great to win back-to-back. It’s truly an honor,” said Suzuki, who attributed his early success in the series organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., aimed at developing young talent and boosting the sport’s popularity across the country, to diligent practice, especially on his short game.

A clutch birdie on the closing par-5 hole secured Suzuki’s two-stroke victory over Espinosa, who mounted a late charge with birdies on Nos. 12 and 15 and an eagle on the last. Despite Espinosa’s strong finish for a 72, he fell short again with a 145 total.

Monte Andaman wound up third with a 175 after an 83.

“I felt the pressure and struggled to hit properly,” Suzuki said of Espinosa’s late surge, which he countered with a brilliant last-hole feat.

“I’m so glad my chip went in on the last hole,” added the 10-year-old Suzuki, who expressed gratitude to his family and coach for their guidance in his golfing journey.

Suzuki also edged Espinosa by one in the series’ kickoff leg at Splendido Taal two weeks ago.

In the girls’ side of the youngest category of the three-division series sponsored by ICTSI, Georgina Handog made an impressive JPGT debut with a commanding four-stroke triumph over first-leg winner Maurysse Abalos despite a closing 81.

Handog, who started the final round with a huge nine-shot lead, endured nine bogeys in a birdie-less round but still captured the crown with a 168 aggregate. Abalos finished with a 76 marked by four birdies, six bogeys and a double bogey, for a 172.

“I’m very happy because I worked so hard to reach this position,” Handog said.

“I managed to handle the pressure by focusing on my own game and not worrying about the other players.”

She also expressed gratitude to her supporters for their help with her swing, which was instrumental in her becoming a champion.

Athalea Espedido placed third with a 198 after 100.

In the premier 15-18 category spread over 72 holes, Jiwon Lee extended her overnight 12-stroke lead to 18, despite slowing down with a 72 following a fiery 66 for a six-under 138 total.

Reese Ng continued to struggle, finishing with a second 78 for a 156, while Lia Duque pooled a 162 after an 80.

‘It feels great to win back-to-back. It’s truly an honor.’

This sets the stage for another dominant title run by Lee, who previously claimed a 13-stroke victory over Duque at Splendido Taal.

“My drives were not as good as yesterday (Tuesday) and the putts just weren’t sinking as much,” said Lee, who hit three birdies against three bogeys.

“I struggled to keep the fairways at times. Even though I hit regulation on several holes, I couldn’t make those birdie putts, they kept lipping out. I guess, it’s just not my day.”

The competition for the boys’ 15-18 title remains intense with Tristan Padilla mounting a remarkable comeback from seven shots down, putting in a 71 and catching up with Shinichi Suzuki at the helm halfway through the four-day tournament.

Initially in third place after 18 holes, Padilla scored a 37 in the third nine, capitalizing on Suzuki’s inconsistent 42 to narrow the gap to just two shots.

Despite a setback on the 12th hole, Padilla finished strong with three birdies in the last six holes, countering Suzuki’s rollercoaster 36 that featured two birdies against the same number of bogeys.

Suzuki’s round of 78 allowed Padilla to pull even at 148 while Mark Kobayashi, previously in second place, stood two strokes behind with a 150 after a 74.

Santino Pineda also stayed in strong contention, assembling a 152 after a 73.

After trailing Suzuki by a significant margin, Padilla went straight to the range late Tuesday to work on his shots. It paid off.

“I was able to stay more consistent and improve my second shots,” he said.

“I plan to maintain consistency and hopefully keep my second shots in sync with my driving,” Padilla said.

Suzuki acknowledged Padilla’s impressive game, saying: “He played great today (Wednesday), staying consistent through 18 holes.”

He also noted that he did not feel pressured even as Padilla rallied from seven shots down to tie.

“I just couldn’t execute my game plan and didn’t start my shots in the right direction.”

Looking ahead to the final 36 holes, Suzuki said: “I plan to try something different, stay aggressive with my approach shots and aim to make more putts.”