BEIJING, China — Team Philippines battled hard on a demanding final day of the 31st Nomura Cup, firing a level-par 144 to finish fourth, just two shots off the podium, as Hong Kong-China completed a wire-to-wire victory.

The Filipinos finished with a 570 total, 13 shots behind the champions. Hong Kong-China closed with a 136 for a four-shot victory over Japan, which carded a 138 at Bayhood No. 9 International Golf Club.

Jet Hernandez led the Philippine charge with a 1-under-par 71, while Rolando Bregente contributed a 73. Hernandez finished tied for sixth individually.

The fourth-place finish ranks among the Philippines’ better performances in the Asia-Pacific’s premier team golf championship and helped erase some of the disappointment of an 11th-place finish when the event was last held in the country in 2022.

“I am very proud with how all of us battled even if we didn’t have our A-game the entire week,” said Hernandez, 21, who headed straight to the airport after his round for a flight to Manila before preparing to return to the United States to resume his psychology studies at the University of Denver.

“We know we can compete with (the best countries in the region),” he added. “We just have to continue putting ourselves in these situations.”

The Philippines began the final round just five shots off the lead but struggled to keep pace down the stretch.

“It’s a tough pill to swallow, but we gave it our best till the very end,” said 18-year-old Shinichi Suzuki, who posted his highest score of the week with a 77.

Markus Zachary Lam fired a 67 and Ethan Tian a 69 to power Hong Kong-China to its best round of the week and secure the championship.

Japan’s Kaito Sato shot 68 and Taisei Nagasaki 70 for a 138, while South Korea matched that score behind a 68 from Joguk Jeong and a 70 from Jeyi Son.

South Korea’s strong finish completed a late rally that began in the third round, when it posted a 136, good enough to secure a share of the podium.

Despite missing out on a medal, the Philippines turned in an impressive performance, beating traditional regional powers China, New Zealand, Australia and Thailand while also dethroning defending champion Vietnam.

“Managing to finish fourth as a team is still a solid job,” said Hernandez, who is set to begin his senior year at Denver and is likely to use a fifth year to further develop his game before turning professional.

The extra year could also give Hernandez another opportunity to represent the Philippines in future international competitions.