DAVAO CITY — Homegrown talents Merry Rose Wacan and Soleil Molde return with vengeance on their minds as they try to rebound from contrasting setbacks in last week’s South Pacific leg, aiming to turn things around in the ICTSI Apo Golf Junior PGT Championship which gets going tomorrow at the Apo Golf and Country Club here.
Wacan nearly pulled off a stirring comeback in the girls’ 15-18 division at South Pacific, rallying from six strokes down before falling short by just two shots to Bukidnon’s Crista Miñoza, who clinched her breakthrough in the country’s premier junior circuit.
Determined to finish what she started, Wacan is out to maximize her local knowledge and regroup for a stronger final push on her home course.
Molde, meanwhile, saw her momentum abruptly halted after a strong win at Del Monte. Entering the South Pacific stop riding high on confidence, the Davao bet was stunned by an in-form Denise Mendoza from Cebu, absorbing a humbling loss in the girls’ 7-10 class.
Fired up to regain her dominance, Molde is set to clash once more with Bukidnon’s Claren Quiño, who missed South Pacific but topped the Pueblo de Oro leg, which Molde skipped. The rematch promises fireworks, with both players eager to assert supremacy heading into the season’s home stretch.
Also reinforcing the girls’ 7-10 cast are Davao’s Zoey Mascariñas and Amelia Morente, further tightening the field in the youngest division of the series organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.
In the boys’ 11-14 division, an explosive duel is shaping up between South Cotabato’s Jared Saban and CDO’s Ken Guillermo. Saban dealt Guillermo a crushing 11-stroke defeat last week to snap the latter’s twin victories in Del Monte and Pueblo de Oro.
The rematch at Apo Golf is expected to be intense, with Guillermo determined to strike back and reclaim control of the leaderboard. Adding depth to the title chase are Laurence Saban and Valencia’s Marcus Dueñas, injecting more intrigue into the 36-hole battle.
All eyes will also be on the boys’ 15-18 division where ranking leader Alexis Nailga returns to action after skipping the South Pacific leg. Armed with three wins from Mactan, Del Monte and Pueblo de Oro, the Bukidnon bet already has 45 points and is virtually assured of a spot in the ICTSI North vs South Elite Juniors Finals slated for 7-10 October at The Country Club in Laguna.