MACTAN Island — What began as closely contested matchups turned into decisive victories as Brittany Tamayo and Ralph Batican stamped their class in the ICTSI Mactan Island Junior PGT Championship here on Tuesday.

Early morning showers added length and difficulty to the rain-softened Mactan Island Golf Course, presenting an added challenge for the finalists across four age-group divisions.

Despite the tough conditions, Day 2 delivered standout performances and dramatic shifts, setting a high bar for the first leg of the seven-part Visayas-Mindanao Series organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.

Tamayo and Batican emerged as the biggest winners in the 11-14 age category, dominating their respective divisions in contrasting fashion.

Tamayo, a rising talent from South Cotabato, capitalized on a faltering finish by overnight leader Zuri Bagaloyos of Mandaue to clinch the girls’ title with a closing 73 and a 36-hole total of 150. Bagaloyos stumbled with a costly triple bogey on the par-4 No. 8, leading to a final-round 79 and second-place finish at 155.

Margaux Espina finished third after an 82 for a 159, followed by Rafella Batican’s 79 for 160.

The 13-year-old Tamayo had to make adjustments due to the course conditions.

“The fairways were wet, so the ball wouldn’t roll, and the greens were quite receptive,” she observed.

Looking ahead to the finals, Tamayo emphasized the importance of staying focused, though she remains undecided on which tournaments to join in the remaining six legs of the Vis-Min series.

“I know I can do more,” she said, drawing motivation from within. She credited her success to focus, hard work, self-confidence and maintaining a positive mindset throughout.

In the boys’ side, Batican completed a wire-to-wire victory, extending his two-stroke overnight lead with an impressive stretch featuring five birdies and just two bogeys over 11 holes. His second straight birdie on the par-5 15th sealed an impressive three-under 65 marred by a last-hole mishap, securing a four-shot win on an even 136 total.

Ken Guillermo mounted a spirited rally, highlighted by an eagle on the 15th, but ultimately ran out of holes in his comeback bid. He matched Batican’s 65 and snatched runner-up honors at 140.

Jared Saban of South Cotabato matched par 68 and slipped to third at 141 in the 36-hole tournament sponsored by ICTSI.

“I needed to adjust my yardage since there was practically no roll on the fairway,” said 13-year-old Batican from the talent-rich province of Bukidnon.

“I visualized my shots and focused on ball placement,” he added, reflecting on the key to his victory.

A protégé of golf legend Frankie Miñoza, Batican shared that he aims to sharpen his overall game in preparation for the North vs South finals. He’s driven to perform well, especially knowing the depth of talent in Luzon.

In the youngest girls’ age category, Denise Mendoza reaffirmed her dominance with a commanding 15-stroke victory over Sistine Marie Yu. Despite a shaky final-round 84 following her opening 76, the Cebuana’s 160 total was more than enough to secure the victory.

A winner of last year’s JPGT Match Play titles, Mendoza showed flashes of brilliance with three birdies but also endured the course’s challenges, carding four bogeys, a double bogey, three triple bogeys and a quadruple bogey for a 40-44.

Yu, unable to capitalize on Mendoza’s struggles, fell short of mounting a comeback. Trailing by 19 overnight, the Cagayan de Oro standout closed with an 80 for a 175 total and a runner-up finish. Skye Yocte took third with a 199 after a 97, while Avery Go rounded out the division with a 227 following a 107.

In the boys’ 7-10 division, Davao’s Ethan Lago turned what was expected to be a tight contest against Kvan Alburo into a decisive win.

Tied after the opening round, Lago pulled ahead with a steady frontside 41, building a three-stroke lead. He then capitalized on Alburo’s costly quadruple bogey on No. 10 to cruise to a seven-stroke victory.

Lago closed with a second 78 for a 156 total, winning by 11 strokes over Alburo — one of last year’s top performers in the ICTSI-backed national talent search — who settled for second at 167 after an 89. James Rolida of Cagayan de Oro also posted an 89 and finished third with a 171.

Driven by their desire to make their families proud, Mendoza and Lago delivered commanding performances, both crediting their improved driving skills as key to their title victories.

“I hit my drives straight and far,” said Mendoza, a 10-year-old student at Cebu Learning Center. She emphasized the need to work on her putting and approach shots as she prepares for the next Vis-Min Series stop in Negros Occidental next week.

Mendoza also shared a valuable lesson she learned during the tournament: the importance of staying calm.

“If you panic, your game will suffer,” she said.

“My drives were all straight,” echoed Lago, an eight-year-old from Ateneo de Davao, who also confirmed his participation in the upcoming events in Negros and Bacolod.