MANILA, Philippines – Dottie Ardina matched par 71 and settled for a joint 13th place finish as erstwhile contender Clariss Guce stumbled with a 73 in the Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic won by Chinese Ruixin Liu in Scottsdale, Arizona Sunday (Monday Manila time).
Ardina, unable to mount a final round charge, finished with a two-birdie, two-bogey round for a 72-hole total of 278 following the ICTSI-backed shotmaker’s joint runner-up effort in the Casino del Sol Golf Classic in Arizona last week.
Guce, just four strokes behind third round leader Dana Fall, reeled back with a double bogey mishap on the par-3 No. 7 and struggled for the rest of the round. She fumbled with three bogeys against a birdie in the next 10 holes.
Despite a last-hole eagle, the US -based Filipina fell to Ardina’s group at six-under total.
Pauline del Rosario also posted a 73 and wound up tied 26th with 281 as the elusive Epson Tour victory continued to evade the Filipina aces.
Liu, meanwhile, rallied from out of nowhere to capture her ninth Epson Tour victory, closing out with an eagle-spiked 64 to pool a 270 and win by three strokes over Mariel Galdiano of the US, who assembled a 273 after a 69.
Fall fell with a thud after a 73 , marred by three bogeys in the first five holes. She wound up with a 274 for joint third with Weiwei Zhang, who matched her compatriot Liu’s closing seven-under card at the par-71 TPC Scottsdale’s Champions course.
In New Jersey, Rose Zhang outdueled Madelene Sagstrom with a scorching windup, carding a solid 66 and winning by two strokes in the Cognizant Founders Cup at the Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, also Sunday.
Sagstrom and Zhang engaged in a thrilling battle throughout the final round with th e former hiking her 54-hole lead to two at the turn. But Zhang surged ahead with a magnificent finish, birdying four of the last five holes to nail her second LPGA championship on a 264 total.
Sagstrom bogeyed the first hole but regained control with four birdies in the next eight to reclaim a two-stroke lead at the turn.
She held sway with a birdie on No. 12 but failed to match Zhang’s blistering windup, even conceding a stroke on the 16th. She wound up with a 69 for second at 266.
Meanwhile, Yuka Saso hit late birdies to salvage a 70 and tied for 29th with a 285.
Saso, whose campaign is sponsored by ICTSI, overcame a bogey start with birdies on Nos. 9 and 12 then rebounded from another rmishap on the 13th with birdies in the n ext two holes, finishing with a 36-34 and gaining 10 spots from her previous ranking after three rounds of the $3-million championship.
MANILA, Philip pines – Amid the scenic backdrop of Splendido Taal, anticipation crackles in the air as young golfers tee off Tuesday, May 14, in the kickoff leg of the 14-stage Junior Philippine Golf Tour.
Set at the hilly terrain of the Greg Norman-designed course in Laurel, Batangas, 62 hopefuls across three age categories embark on their quest for glory in 18-hole tournaments. Among them, 21 contenders in the 15-18 boys division gear up for a challenging four-round battle, while participants in the 8-10 and 11-14 category clash in their respective 36-hole and 54-hole competitions.
Leading the charge in the premier division is Patrick Tambalque, a standout from last year’s grand finals of the inaugural JPGT Series, alongside a formidable lineup, including Zachary Villaroman, Gabriel Handog and a host of other talented golfers.
The competition promises to be fierce with each player eager to claim not only leg honors but also bolster their respective bids for coveted sports in the upcoming Philippine Junior Match Play Championship at The Country Club in October.
In the girls’ division, Korean Ji Won Lee headlines the contenders, aiming to continue her dominance from last year’s series. However, challengers such as Rafa Anciano and Chloe Rada are poised to provide stiff competition.
Excitement is noticeable among the participants, with Javie Bautista expressing enthusiasm for the tour experience provided by the JPGT.
“I’m very excited about JPGT because of the unique tour experience it offers junior golfers. I anticipate that participating in JPGT events will cultivate a balance of competitiveness and enjoyment among us young golfers,” said Bautista, one of the contenders in the boys’ 11-14 class that also features Junior World-bound Vito Sarines, John Gomez and Jacob Casuga.
Adding to the thrill are rising talents like Enzo Corpus, Iñigo Camposano and Race Manhit, who are poised to spice up the title chase with their competitive spirit and skillful play.
As one of the youngest players in the group, Manhit is relying on his short game to make an impact. Despite his age, he’s eager to take on competitors in the 13-14 bracket, expressing confidence in his ability to put up a strong fight.
“I’m excited but prepared to go head-to-head with those in the 13-14 division,” said Manhit, 11.
Established to cultivate talent and promote camaraderie among participants, the JPGT operates independently from other junior golf organizations. The organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. guarantees the prevention of scheduling conflicts, fostering a cooperative atmosphere for the young players’ mutual advantage.
Meanwhile, Maurysse Abalos, Casedy Cuenca, Lily Agamata, Teresa Tambunting and Tyra Garingalao are set to dispute the girls’ 8-10 championship, while Ryuji Suzuki, Kevin Tecson, Jose Luis Espinosa and Michael Ray Hortel II gear up for a showdown in the boys’ side in the youngest category of the event sponsored by ICTSI.
The boys’ 11-14 competition tees off at 6:30 a.m. on No. 1 while action in the 8-10 category starts at 6:35 a.m. on No. 10.