SANTA ROSA, Laguna — Despite an early stumble and late struggles on a rain-hit, windy Thursday at The Country Club, Ralph Batican persevered through tough conditions, carding a 78 to extend his overnight three-stroke lead to a commanding 10-shot advantage after 36 holes in the boys’ 13-14 division of the Uswing Mojing Junior World Qualifying here.
In contrast, the girls’ 13-14 category took an unpredictable turn as Lisa Sarines staged a late surge, trimming Johanna Uyking’s lead to just one stroke heading into the final round. A dramatic two-shot swing on the closing hole (No. 18) allowed Sarines to fire a 73, closing the gap at 153 against Uyking’s 152 after a 75.
While four Junior World slots are at stake in each age category, only division winners will receive free airfare to the prestigious San Diego event in July.
With the leaderboard tightening in two divisions, the final round promises high-stakes battles for coveted berths in the international stage.
The top 10 players in each category advanced to the last round, which not only awards World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points but also serves as a crucial prelude to the upcoming Junior Philippine Golf Tour season at Eagle Ridge next month.
The girls’ 15-18 division also set the stage for an intense final round as Reese Ng’s 76 brought her level with Alessandra Luciano, who struggled with an 81, both totaling 160.
Ally Gaccion battled through an 80 but remained in contention in third place with a score of 163. Meanwhile, Anya Cedo and Lia Duque staged impressive comebacks with rounds of 78 and 77, positioning themselves at 164 and 166, respectively.
Tashanah Balanguan, who briefly led midway through the round, faltered at the finish, making two bogeys, a triple bogey, and a double bogey. She carded an 86, dropping to sixth place with a total of 167.
Crista Miñoza posted an 88 to take seventh at 180, followed closely by Lois Lane Go (84-181), Montserrat Lapuz (92-181), and Angelica Bañez (96-182).
The battle for the boys’ 13-14 and 15-18 titles in the three-day qualifiers, backed by the National Golf Association, the MVP Sports Foundation, The Country Club, ICTSI, PLDT and the JPGT, is shaping up to be a potential runaway in both divisions. Batican pulled away in the younger category, while Tristan Padilla surged ahead in the older division with a resilient 73, establishing a commanding five-shot lead over Hernandez.
Batican, one of the rising stars from Bukidnon, managed just one birdie against five bogeys and a double bogey, yet his rivals struggled even more in the challenging conditions. He now holds a 155 aggregate, significantly widening his initial shaky lead.
David Teves, who opened with an 80, faltered with an 85 for a 165 total, while Zianbeau Edoc slipped to third at 168 after an 86.
“I’m feeling confident for tomorrow (Friday) because I trained hard in Mindanao and have won twice here at TCC,” said Batican, one of last year’s Junior PGT Match Play finals winners.
“But you never know what could happen.”
Mico Ungco sits in fourth place at 169 following an 85, with Inigo Gallardo (85-172) and Lujo Gomez (88-172) trailing closely behind.
Other top contenders include Ken Guillermo (85-175), Jose Jacob Gomez (92-181), Miguel Orbita (90-183), and Javie Bautista (91-184), all looking to climb the leaderboard in the final round.
Padilla, meanwhile, built on a strong start on the back nine, firing birdies on Nos. 13 and 14 to offset three bogeys over his final 13 holes. His steady play gave him a 152 total, extending his lead to five strokes over first round leader Emilio Hernandez, who struggled with an 82, to slip to joint second at 157 with Shinichi Suzuki, who carded a 79.