Tambalque, Lee pound out playoff wins in JPGT finals

Patrick Tambalque and Korean Ji Won Lee snatched victories from the clutches of defeat as they captured the boys' 13-14 and girls' 15-18 crowns, respectively, in a pair of sudden deaths highlighting the ICTSI Junior PGT national finals at The Country Club in Laguna on Tueday.

Tambalque, who topped the five-round Luzon elims, parred the last three holes to log 49 points under the Modified Stableford (Molave) scoring system from a gross 77 as he forced a playoff with Vis-Min series topnotcher Clement Ordeneza, who blew a huge lead with a closing five-over card in the last four holes.

Patrick Tambalque CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Lee, on the other hand, bogeyed the tricky par-3 17th and finished with 50 points from a gross 76, enabling Cagayan de Oro's Alethea Gaccion, who closed out with three pars, to force a sudden death.

But Tambalque and Lee both birdied the playoff hole (No. 10) in overcast skies to lead the eight winners in the 18-hole stroke play finale of the pioneering season-long series put up by ICTSI that featured the drive, chip and putt challenge and 18-hole tournaments.

Joining Tambalque and Lee in the podium are Jared Saban and Quincy Pilac (9-10), Ralph Batican and Precious Zaragosa (11-12), Isabella Tabanas (girls' 13-14) and Zeus Sara (boys' 15-18).

Alexander Crisostomo, meanwhile, came in third in boys' 13-14 with 47 points from a gross 79 while Lia Duque placed third in girls' 15-18 with 43 points from a gross 83 with Angelica Bañez ending up fourth with 40 points.

Tambalque and Lee's victories also averted a complete domination by the VisMin bets, who won four age-group titles in the talent-search organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Luzon elims topnotcher Pilac and No. 2 Zaragosa captured the girls' 9-10 and 11-12 trophies, respectively, with the former posting 42 points from a gross 84 for a three-point romp over Rafella Batican, who scored 39 points.

Eliana Dumalaog wound up third with 38 points.

Zaragosa, on the other hand, matched par 72 worth 54 as she turned back sisters Lisa and Mona Sarines, who finished with 52 and 46 points from grosses of 74 and 80, respectively.

Sara, from Davao, produced 50 points from a gross 76 and nipped David Serdenia and Zachary Villaroman by two points to secure the boys' 15-18 age group championship.

Serdenia and Villaroman, who topped the five-round Luzon elims, matched 48 points from grosses of 78s with the former claiming runner-up honors via countback.

Tabanas put up an impressive frontside 37 then bucked a triple-bogey on TCC's tough finishing hole as she assembled 43 points from a gross 83 and beat Levonne Talion by two for the girls' 13-14 diadem.

Talion wound up with 41 points from a gross 85 while Rafa Anciano placed third with 38 points from a gross 88.

Saban, also from Davao, birdied the last hole and ran way with the boys' 9-10 title with 52 points from a gross 74, besting Vito Sarines, who scored 49 points from a gross 77, while Race Manhit placed third with 48 points from a gross 78.

Batican, from Cagayan de Oro, ripped the boys' 11-12 field, coming away with 52 points to post a five-point victory over Aenzo Sulaik, who scored 47 points, with Marcus Duenas ending up third with 45 points.