Breakout moments

BUKIDNON — Wire-to-wire victories defined the battle for supremacy in two age divisions of the ICTSI Del Monte Junior PGT Championship, with frontrunners from Davao and Cagayan de Oro splitting top honors with two titles apiece here on Thursday.

Davao’s Soleil Molde and Kimberly Baroquillo turned in dominant performances in the girls’ 7-10 and 11-14 divisions, respectively, in their 36-hole showdowns.

Baroquillo punctuated her dominant campaign with a hole-in-one on No. 12 of the Del Monte Golf Club.

On the boys’ side, Cagayan de Oro’s Jamie Barnes and Ken Guillermo emerged triumphant in the same age brackets, dashing the hopes of local bets and keeping the homegrown talents winless in the kickoff leg of the four-stage Mindanao swing of the Visayas-Mindanao Series.

Baroquillo displayed remarkable consistency, firing a second straight 73 for a 146 total, four strokes ahead of Mactan leg winner Britanny Tamayo, who posted another 75 for a 150. Cagayan de Oro’s Isabella Espina placed third with a 168 after an 87.

“I really aimed for the right side, going against my caddie’s advice to hit it straight,” recalled 13-year-old Kimberly Baroquillo of her hole-in-one.

“It landed on the right and rolled straight into the hole.”

She used a TaylorMade 7-iron to ace the 147-yard No. 12, with her remarkable feat earning her a certificate and P10,000 in cash courtesy of Del Monte Golf Club.

The South Pacific mainstay and student of Homeschool Global also secured her first JPGT victory, crediting her breakthrough to a newfound sense of patience and composure.

“I usually get tense and nervous while playing. On every tee box, I always worry I might mess up,” admitted Baroquillo, who expressed gratitude to her parents, uncles and aunts for their unwavering support since Day One.

“All the hard work has finally paid off. I’ve been training intensely over the past few months to improve and winning for the first time is just an incredible feeling,” she said.

Molde, who seized a three-shot lead after an opening-round 77, cruised to a seven-stroke romp despite a closing 79 for a 156 total for a seven-stroke triumph over Clarin Quiño, stumbled with late double bogeys and ended with an 81 for 163.

“It was the challenges I faced that kept me going. I learned from my mistakes, made new friends, and most of all, God helped me win,” said eight-year-old Molde, who hones her skills at Apo Golf.

“I’m really happy with this victory.”

Francesca Geroy, second after 18 holes in the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc., slipped to third after an 84 for a 164 aggregate.

In the boys’ 7-10 division, Barnes marked his JPGT debut in style, posting a five-stroke win over Mactan leg winner Ethan Lago.

The nine-year-old ignited his title run with a fiery four-birdie binge over five holes from No. 10, before cooling off with a bogey on the 16th to settle for a 69 and a 141 total.

Lago birdied the final hole to salvage a 70 and secure solo second at 146, while Lucas Revilleza turned in a 78 and edged multi-titled JPGT standout Kvan Alburo, who stumbled with a 79, in the countback for third after both finished at 155.

“I think I played really well today. I had four birdies and just one bogey on the back nine,” said nine-year-old Barnes of his commanding victory. He thanked his dad and uncle for their support and expressed his delight at clinching a JPGT title on his very first attempt.