BACOLOD CITY — Precious Zaragosa completed a remarkable late-season charge, capping a wire-to-wire victory in the ICTSI Negros JPGT Championship at Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club on Wednesday to secure a spot in the Junior PGT Elite Grand Finals.

By winning the final two legs of the six-stage Visayas-Mindanao Series, the rising Davaoeña star vaulted from fifth in the standings to a share of the top spot with 42 points alongside Tashanah Balangauan. The pair will spearhead the South team in the girls’ 15-18 division when it faces the North in the Ryder Cup-style ICTSI North vs South Elite Junior PGT Finals on 17-20 August at Pueblo de Oro Golf and Country Club in Cagayan de Oro.

Zaragosa closed with a four-over-par 74 for a 54-hole total of 223, completing a dominant week at the par-70 Marapara layout.

Apple Gotiong briefly threatened after firing a frontside 36 and cutting the deficit to two strokes. But Zaragosa responded with a timely birdie on No. 9 after four bogeys in her first eight holes, then steadied herself with a string of pars. As Gotiong faltered with three consecutive bogeys from No. 11, Zaragosa regained control and stretched the lead back to six.

Gotiong finished with a 76 for a 229 total. Despite falling short, the Cebuana secured a finals berth with 36 ranking points, boosted by three runner-up finishes in the Vis-Min circuit.

Lois Laine Go placed third at 242 after a 79 and clinched the third qualifying slot with 35 points, while Cagayan de Oro’s Mikela Guillermo carded an 81 to finish fourth at 253 and claim the last finals berth with 28 points. Guillermo edged out Zero Plete, who dropped out of contention after skipping the final leg.

In the boys’ 15-18 division, Cebu’s Sebastian Sajuela turned a tightly contested duel into a convincing victory, shooting a 75 for a 224 aggregate to beat Del Monte’s Clement Ordeneza by two strokes.

Ordeneza erased a one-shot overnight deficit with a birdie on the opening hole, and the two traded shots throughout the front nine. The momentum shifted on the back nine when Ordeneza opened with a bogey and triple bogey, while Sajuela countered his own mistakes with a crucial birdie on No. 14 to pull away.

Ordeneza finished with a 76 for a 226 total, while Eddie Gonzales Jr. placed third at 230 after a closing 74.

Both Sajuela and Ordeneza had already secured finals berths, joining three-leg winner Alexis Nailga (45 points) and Bacolod champion Mhark Fernando III (33). Sajuela finished the series with 40 points, while Ordeneza ended with 34.

Zaragosa and Sajuela shared top honors with lower-division champions Ana Marie Aguilar and Darren Ong (7-10), and Ken Guillermo and Marqaela Dy (11-14).

The race for the remaining finals spots now shifts to Luzon, where the last qualifying leg of the series will be held on 17-19 June at Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club in General Trias, Cavite.