CAGAYAN DE ORO — Clement Ordeneza and Zero Plete fashioned out lopsided victories to rule the 13-15 division titles Wednesday as other brackets in the ICTSI Junior PGT Mindanao Series were marked by tightly contested battles.
Ordeneza redeemed himself by besting fellow Bukidnon native Alexis Nailga who got his number last week in Del Monte.
Despite slowing down slightly with a final round of 70, after a blistering 65 in the second round, Ordeneza came up with an impressive 10-under 206 total, clinching victory by 19 strokes.
Nailga stumbled to a 78 for a 225, while Luciano Copok placed third with a 236 total after a 79.
“It’s always been about my first tee shot. If I start well, I usually finish strong,” said the 14-year-old student from Little Me Academy, who struggled to recover after an initial round of 79 at Del Monte.
“My putting was solid last week, but it’s been even better these past three days,” added Ordeneza, who bounced back from a bogey on the 4th hole with birdies on the 7th, 14th and 16th.
Ordeneza’s performance not only earned him the championship but also a coveted spot in the Match Play Championship, set for 1 to 4 October at The Country Club in Laguna.
He joins Apo and South Pacific leg winner AJ Wacan in the final event.
Plete, on the other hand, left no room for doubt about her dominance in the girls’ side of the nationwide series organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. and sponsored by ICTSI. The local talent closed out her tournament with a commanding 34-stroke victory, finishing with a 235 total after a 76.
Mikela Guillermo and Stephanie Tagud finished far behind, with scores of 269 and 319 after 88 and 106, respectively.
In the premier 16-18 division, the title chase became a battle of resilience between two finalists from the Visayas series. Simon Wahing managed to pad his lead to seven despite a front-nine struggle, finishing with a 79 for a 228.