Trece Martires, Cavite – Fresh from recovering from an injury, Precious Zaragosa is determined to secure a top finish in the final leg of the ICTSI Junior PGT Luzon Series, set to tee off tomorrow (Tuesday, Sept. 10) at Sherwood Hills Golf Club.
The two-leg champion needs ranking points to clinch one of the four coveted spots in the Match Play Championship after missing Series 6 at Mount Malarayat in Batangas last week due to a training injury.
Currently ranked No. 3 in the girls’ 13-15 age group with 46 points after six legs, Zaragosa faces stiff competition from Montserrat Lapuz and Kendra Garingalao, who are chasing with 36 and 28 points, respectively.
With just one leg remaining in the seven-stage Luzon series and the field facing new challenges at the demanding Sherwood Hills, the stakes are high as contenders vie for tickets to the national finals scheduled for Oct. 1-4 at The Country Club in Laguna.
In the nationwide series organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., only the top four performances are counted toward final rankings.
The top four finishers from Luzon, along with the top two from the Visayas and Mindanao in age categories 8-9, 10-12, 13-15, and 16-18, will advance to the finals, alongside standouts from multiple series.
For details and registration, contact Jhi Castillo at 0928-316-5678 or Shiela Salvania at 0968-311-4101.
Lisa and Mona Sarines, twin sisters, currently lead the girls’ 13-15 division with 50 and 48 points, respectively, while Levonne Talion holds fourth place with 43 points, setting up an intense 54-hole battle this week.
With 15, 12, and 10 points at stake for the top three finishers, the final leg promises a thrilling contest for podium spots.
In the boys’ 13-15 division, the competition is just as fierce. Jose Carlos Taruc (44 points) and John Paul Agustin Jr. (41 points) aim to secure their places at the top.
Ramon Andres Fabie and Zianbeau Edoc, tied for fifth with 20 points, are preparing for one final push to break into the top four, while John Majgen Gomez holds third with 36 points.
In the boys’ 16-18 category, the race to the finals remains competitive, with Zachary Villaroman and Rafael Mañaol striving for top-three finishes.
Villaroman, with two second-place finishes, sits at fifth with 24 points, while Mañaol follows with 20 points after a strong runner-up showing at Mount Malarayat behind Patrick Tambalque.
Mark Kobayashi, the Luisita leg winner, leads the standings with 47 points, followed by Tambalque with 36 points.
Charles Serdenia is virtually out of contention after competing in just two events, while Francis Slavin (25 points) could secure a finals spot with a solid performance this week.
Meanwhile, several players have already secured their spots in the finals.
Among them are Athena Serapio and Tyra Garingalao (girls 8-9), along with Isonn Angheng, Jesus Yambao, and Zoji Edoc (boys 8-9). They will use the final leg to fine-tune their preparations.
Serapio and Garingalao are in a tight race for the top spot with 37 and 36 points, respectively. Angheng, Yambao, and Edoc lead their division with 38, 35, and 32 points.
