DARREN Ong posts a 22-stroke victory to emerge victorious in the ICTSI Negros JPGT Championship at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club in Bacolod City on Tuesday.
Photograph by Joey Sanchez Mendoza for DAILY TRIBUNE
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BACOLOD CITY — Darren Ong and Ana Marie Aguilar delivered stunning, last-ditch charges to secure their spots in the Junior PGT Elite Finals, conquering the ICTSI Negros JPGT Championship in contrasting but equally spectacular fashion at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club here on Tuesday.
Both golfers didn’t just win the tournament — they crashed the party for the South team rankings, punching their tickets to the Ryder Cup-style national finals.
For Ong, the final round of the boys’ 7-10 division was less of a shootout and more of a victory lap. Holding a huge 14-stroke lead after Monday’s opening round, Ong showed no signs of slowing down.
He slowed down with an 80 in scorching conditions after a 76 but still won by 22 strokes on a 156 total over 36 holes.
Anthony Avila carded an 88 to finish a distant second at 178, while Joaquin Limjap took third with a 199 after a 98.
Ong’s dominant performance catapulted him from No. 6 to No. 4 in the Visayas-Mindanao Series rankings. Accumulating 35 points across the six-stage circuit, he dislodged the absent Thomas Ngo (26) to claim the fourth and final qualifying spot. Ong thus joined Ethan Lago, Stephen Clementer and Lucas Revilleza to form the South’s youngest squad, ready to battle the North side on 17 to 20 August at the Pueblo de Oro Golf and Country Club.
“I’m so excited to play in the grand finals. I’m going to practice hard to turn my weaknesses into strengths, but my goal is to keep playing pressure-free,” the nine-year-old Ong said.
“Everything just clicked today, especially my chipping and putting, though I still feel like I could’ve done better.”
Looking ahead to the team format, Ong promised to spark the lineup: “I’m ready to bring good vibes, high energy and strong cooperation to the South team.”
While Ong coasted, homegrown talent Aguilar had to grind it out in the girls’ youngest category. Trailing Vanya Go by two strokes entering the final 18 holes, Aguilar locked into a high-stakes showdown of grit, nerves and shifting fortunes that came down to the absolute wire.
