STA. ROSA, Laguna – Johanna Uyking capped a roller-coaster round with a stunning eagle on the par-4 18th, seizing the lead in the girls’ 13-14 division of the USwing Mojing Junior World Qualifying at The Country Club on Wednesday.
Despite battling windy conditions, Uyking relied on her precision driving to shoot a 77, securing a two-shot lead over Precious Zaragosa, who settled for a 79 after a late stumble.
“I drove the ball pretty straight today, which helped a lot,” said Uyking, a 13-year-old student at Davao Christian High School.
Her highlight of the day came on No. 18, where she launched a 3-wood approach from 190 yards into a headwind, watching as the ball found the hole for an eagle-2.
TCC’s notoriously tough layout, with its length, hazards and undulating greens, proved a demanding test.
With par often feeling like a birdie, players had to approach every shot with careful calculation.
Uyking’s round included six bogeys and a double bogey on the tight par-4 fourth, but a birdie on No. 8 and her dramatic eagle kept her ahead.
“I’ll be working on my chipping and putting to avoid giving myself a hard time in the next two rounds,” she said.
Zaragosa, last year’s Junior Philippine Golf Tour (JPGT) Match Play champion, also managed an eagle on the par-5 eighth but struggled with four bogeys in her first five holes.
A closing bogey on No. 9 left her two strokes behind Uyking.
Twins Lisa and Mona Sarines remained within striking distance with rounds of 80 and 82, respectively.
Kendra Garingalao and Tiffany Bernardino will need a strong comeback after posting 89 and 94.
In the boys’ 13-14 division, Ralph Batican displayed steady composure, firing a 77 to take a three-shot lead over David Teves (80) in the three-day tournament organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
“I focused on visualizing my shots, and that really helped,” said Batican, who rebounded from five back-nine bogeys with an even-par 36 on the front.
“The wind made things difficult, so I had to be extra careful with club selection.”
Zianbeau Edoc followed with an 82, while Lujo Gomez and Mico Ungco each carded 84s.
In the boys’ 15-18 division, Emilio Hernandez emerged as the early frontrunner, firing a 75 to claim a two-shot lead over Patrick Tambalque (77).
Shinichi Suzuki and Jose Carlos Taruc stayed close with 78s, while Cliff Nuñeza, Tristan Padilla and Geoffrey Tan matched 79s.
“I just wanted to focus on having fun while staying consistent,” said Hernandez, a Singapore School Manila student representing Alabang Country Club and Manila Southwoods.
“The course got tougher as the wind picked up, so I had to be extra precise.”
Alessandra Luciano overcame a shaky front-nine finish to grab the early lead in the girls’ 15-18 division, shooting a 79 for a two-stroke advantage over Tashanah Balangauan (81).
Luciano played steady golf on the back nine with two bogeys and a birdie but struggled on the front, recording six consecutive bogeys from No. 2.
A birdie on No. 8 provided some relief, but a closing bogey left her with a 42 on the front side.
Balangauan also had an up-and-down round, opening with a 41 that included a double bogey on No. 1.
She recovered slightly with a birdie on the par-3 third, keeping herself in contention.
Junior PGT Finals champion Ally Gaccion slipped to third after an 83, struggling with two bogeys in her last three holes.
Reese Ng turned in an 84, while Angelica Bañez and Anya Cedo finished with 86s.
Further down the leaderboard, Montserrat Lapuz shot an 89, Lia Duque settled for a 90, and Crista Miñoza rounded out the top contenders with a 92.
With four Junior World Championship spots in San Diego this July on the line in each division, the competition is expected to intensify over the next two rounds.
The event not only offers valuable World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points but also serves as a key battleground for players preparing for the grueling 15-leg Junior PGT calendar.
A cut will be imposed after 36 holes, with only the top 10 in each division and those within six strokes of fourth place advancing to the final round.
The event is supported by the National Golf Association, MVP Sports Foundation, The Country Club, ICTSI, PLDT and the Junior PGT.
