“I feel like the work that I have put in the last two years — the swing change and everything else — have really come to fruition,” Hernandez, an incoming psychology senior at University of Denver, said. “I really came out today with a personal goal of going bogey-free.
“But I had some misfortune on No. 14. That’s golf and it is what it is,” added Hernandez, who opened up with a bogeyless 65 on Wednesday and then broke away the following day with 10 birdies in a second straight 65 that set the tone of the rout.
All told, Hernandez had 20 birdies and two eagles against just five bogeys in an overpowering display of scoring that establishes him as the solid choice to complete a golden double next week in the National Match Play Championship set at Luisita in Tarlac starting Tuesday.
“I’m not hiding the fact that I also would want to win that, because I am a competitor,” Hernandez said. “But that’s a very different tournament. I have to get into the right mindset, prepare myself mentally for that.”
Remata cracked par for the first time this week, matching Hernandez’ 70, to catch Bregente at 291 after Bregente closed out with three bogeys in his last five holes for a 74. Jacob Rolida was another two shots back also after a 74, with Jed Dy completing the top five at 295 after a final round 76.
Sarines, meanwhile, basically coasted along to the win and turned in her coldest round of the week, which was marred by a double bogey on No. 15.
Still, her win was so authoritative that no player in the lean field was able to outscore her on any round, with Balangauan and Precious Zaragosa firing matching 76s to round out the podium.
Zaragosa, the 15-year-old playing out of Canlubang, finished five strokes behind Balangauan, with Jules Gaerlan and Crista Minoza coming in another six shots back also after shooting 76s.