LAUREL, Batangas — Shinichi Suzuki proved that patience pays off after overcoming tough winds and a hot-starting rival to take the boys’ 15-18 title at the ICTSI Junior PGT Splendido Taal leg on Wednesday.

With wind gusts turning the picturesque course into a mental and physical challenge, Suzuki kept his cool and fired an even-par 72 to beat Zachary Villaroman by three shots and cap the 54-hole tournament at three-over 219.

“It was all about staying patient, especially with how tricky the greens were,” said the 16-year-old from St. Francis of Assisi in Biñan, Laguna. “My experience playing in windier Japan really helped — it taught me to play with the wind instead of against it.”

Suzuki’s wedge game was spot-on: He knocked a 50-degree wedge from 140 yards to four feet for birdie on No. 2, then hit another from 122 yards to two feet on 14. He iced it with a tap-in birdie on 16 after another solid wedge from 143 yards.

Villaroman, who had been a consistent contender with third-place finishes in Eagle Ridge and Sherwood Hills, started hot with a birdie on No. 1. But a double bogey on the ninth opened the door, and Suzuki never looked back. Villaroman settled for second at 222 (76), though he remains top of the series leaderboard with 32 points, just ahead of Suzuki’s 27.

Jose Carlos Taruc opened with an eagle but couldn’t keep up with the tricky layout, matching Suzuki’s 72 and placing third at 226.

Anciano cruises to 2nd straight win

On the girls’ side, Rafa Anciano bagged her second straight win despite a rough final round, finishing with a 260 total — an astounding 36 strokes ahead of runner-up Angelica Bañez.

The 16-year-old, who plays out of Forest Hills and Aguinaldo, struggled on the front nine with a quadruple bogey and a triple, eventually posting a 96. Still, she stayed far ahead in a field that battled the same gusty conditions.

“It was fun, but I pressured myself to finish strong,” Anciano said. “I didn’t quite hit my target score today, which was a little disappointing — but I’m proud of how I played the first two days.”

She reflected on the mental side of her game: “The biggest lesson? Don’t get too caught up in your head. The moment I started overthinking, my rhythm was gone. I’ll take that lesson to heart for next time.”

Bañez carded a 98 for a 296 total, including five front-nine doubles and a triple on the closing par-5 18th.

Other winners and highlights

Suzuki and Anciano joined fellow division champions Zach Guico and Mavis Espedido (7–10), and Ryuji Suzuki and Mona Sarines (11–14) as winners in the third leg of the seven-stop Luzon series.

Espedido stood out as the only player to sweep all three legs so far, solidifying her spot in the North vs. South Elite Junior Finals on 30 September to 2 October at The Country Club.

Geoffey Tan finished fourth in the boys’ 15–18 at 239, while Bien Fajardo, after an impressive second-round 74, closed with an 88 to take fifth at 246.