Junior golf stalwarts Dominique Gotiong and Simon Wahing took contrasting routes on their way to the titles on Thursday in the ICTSI JPGT Visayas Series 3 at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club.
While Gotiong made it a walk in the park to rule the Girls’ 16-18 category, Wahing went through scary gauntlet to claim the Boys’ side of the meet.
They both made it to the Philippine Junior Match Play Championship in October.
Gotiong turned the final 18 holes of the girls’ competition into a virtual practice round and coronation walk, finishing with an 80 for a total score of 326.
It was well enough for her to beat Iloilo leg titlist Rhiena Sinfuego, who totaled 395 after a 93. Breanna Rojas placed third with a 419 after shooting a 105.
Wahing overcame tough goings before foiling the enemies with a 78 and advancing to the national finals on 1-4 October at The Country Club.
Wahing bested Bryce Lacida by three strokes with a 307 total. He topped the premier division in the three-leg Visayas series organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. with 27 points, building on his runner-up finish to absentee Patrick Tambalque at the Bacolod Golf and Country Club in Murcia last week.
Iloilo leg winner John Rey Oro secured the other slot in the national finals with 25 points, clinching the berth by placing third with a 311 after a second straight 75.
“I struggled at the front and became nervous when Lacida moved closer,” Wahing said.
It was a dominant two-week display of shotmaking and skills for the 16-year-old Gotiong, who also crushed the field in Murcia.
“I think I did better here at Marapara than at the Bacolod Golf and Country Club because the course here is wider,” said Gotiong who hails from Cebu.
“I need to gain more distance and improve my short game, particularly my putting,” added Gotiong who also expressed gratitude for her family, especially her father-coach Dominic.
“They (my parents) really motivated and pushed me to do better.”
Meanwhile, Sinfuego, who competed in the two Bacolod legs through sponsorships, secured the other berth in the head-to-head finals with a 27-point haul.
Other finalists from the three-leg Visayas series were Eliana Mendoza, Ana Marie Aguilar, Kvan Alburo and Tobias Tiongko (8-9), Zuri Bagaloyos, Cailey Gonzales, Race Manhit and Kurt Flores (10-12), and Tiffany Bernardino, Rane Chiu, Nyito Tiongko and Inno Flores (13-15).