BAGUIO CITY — Jose Luis Espinosa and Brianna Macasaet turned the final round of their 36-hole competition into a triumphant march as they cruised to victories in the 8-10 category of the Junior Philippine Golf Tour Luzon Series 3 at the Pinewoods Golf and Country Club here Tuesday.
Espinosa and Macasaet led by wide margins after the first round and faced little pressure in the final 18 holes although the duo continued to deliver their best performances, maintaining their form in preparation for future campaigns.
“I think I played my best,” said the 10-year-old Espinosa, who closed with an 87, finishing 23 strokes ahead with a 175 total, far surpassing Zoji Edoc, who assembled a 198 after 100.
Kevin Tecson placed third with a 201 after 105 in the youngest category of the three-division series organized by Pilipinas Golf tournaments Inc.
Espinosa, who led Tecson by 8 after the first 18 holes, played pressure-free as his competitors struggled on the demanding course, which tests every aspect of a player’s game.
“It’s a good experience playing in JPGT. With a happy mindset, I think I’ll do better in the next tournaments,” added Espinosa, who credited his supportive parents and coaches for his success.
‘I think I played my best.’
Macasaet won her debut in the ICTSI-sponsored series by demonstrating remarkable consistency on a challenging layout, claiming a 16-stroke victory with back-to-back rounds of 81 for a 162 total.
Pradera Verde leg winner Georgina Handog rallied with an 83, highlighted by an eagle-3 on the 10th hole, to finish second with a 178, while Casedy Cuenca placed third overall with a 189 after a 96.
“I’m proud of my game. This is fun. I got to improve on my skills by playing on a challenging course with many turns and bunkers. It’s so adventurous,” said Macasaet, who relied on her long game and excellent pitching to dominate the field.
In the 15-18 category, Rafa Anciano surged to a three-stroke lead in the girls’ division with a 179 after an 87, thanks to a pivotal birdie on the last hole, the par-3 No. 9, for a huge three-shot swing.
Montserrat Lapuz, initially tied with Anciano, slipped to second place after a double-bogey on the ninth for a 92 and a 182, while Chloe Rada made it a three-way contest with a 183 after an 89.
Anciano credited improvements in her short game and putting, emphasizing her caddy’s role in reading the sidehill birdie putt on the last hole from an elevated mound.
With a better understanding of the demanding layout gained over the past two days, she expressed confidence in her approach for the upcoming rounds, saying: “I know the course better now and feel prepared to tackle its challenges.”
Tristan Padilla, on the other hand, led the premier boys’ division despite a 78 for a 150 but Charles Serdenia and Mark Kobayashi followed closely with 152 and 155 after 75 and 76, respectively.
Reflecting on his round, Padilla acknowledged the need to improve shot placement and expressed frustration with his quadruple bogey on the par-5 No. 7.
“I need to place my shots a little better in the next two days. It got a bit windy towards the end, but my errors were the bigger issue,” said Padilla, referring on his 9 on the seventh hole, where he dumped his second shot into the left-side bunker and misfired, sending the ball out of bounds.