Taruc powers way into JPGT Finals

GEN. TRIAS, Cavite — Jakob Taruc completed a dramatic Junior Philippine Golf Tour surge, winning the final two legs of the Luzon Series, including the ICTSI Eagle Ridge JPGT Championship on Friday, to secure a spot in the Elite Finals and lead a strong North boys’ 15-18 squad.

On the other side, Rafa Anciano held off Levonne Talion to capture the girls’ premier division crown and officially book her Finals berth alongside early qualifiers Lisa and Mona Sarines, with Kendra Garingalao also advancing.

Riding momentum from a strong second-round push, Taruc showed composure on the Aoki course at Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club as dark skies and looming rain added to the challenge. He mixed three birdies against two bogeys on the front nine, then added two more birdies despite another bogey coming home to close with a 70 — his best round of the tournament.

That effort carried him to a three-over 219 total and an emphatic 11-stroke victory over Harry Sales, who began the week as leader but faded with a 77 for 230 after a promising start. Lujo Gomez placed third with a 76 for 231.

The six-leg, three-month Luzon Series, organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc., now sets up a high-stakes Finals showdown from Aug. 17–20 at Pueblo de Oro Country Club in Cagayan de Oro, where the top players from Luzon and Visayas-Mindanao will collide in a Ryder Cup-style format across three age divisions (7-10, 11-14, 15-18).

Taruc said his run to the Finals was far from certain early in the season after a slow start at Mount Malarayat and skipping several legs, but a breakthrough win at Beverly Place revived his campaign.

“Reaching the finals wasn’t originally part of my plan, so being here feels like a true blessing,” Taruc said. “After two rounds at Beverly, my confidence started to return. By the time I arrived at Eagle Ridge, my swing was locked in and everything was working.”

“This victory proved to me that I am truly capable of going low,” he added. “Now I just need to trust myself and make a few tweaks in my iron game.”

In the girls’ division, Anciano showed clutch form down the stretch, including a key birdie on the par-3 17th to seal control. She finished with an 81 for 242, while Talion’s late rally fell just short despite a valiant 79 for 244 effort. Garingalao carded an 85 for 249.

Anciano closed the series with 40 points, followed by Garingalao (37), as both joined the Finals cast with the Sarines siblings already assured of their spots.

“This season was incredibly tough,” Anciano said. “The competition pushed me to play smarter, shoot lower scores, and elevate my game. That pressure really brought out my best.”

With the final field set, Taruc’s late-season rise stands out as one of the defining stories of the Luzon Series — transforming an uncertain campaign into a Finals breakthrough.