MANILA: Zero Plete beat Isabella Tabanas with a birdie in the playoff to capture the girls’ 13-15 title of the ICTSI Junior PGT Mindanao Series 3 at Del Monte Golf Club in Bukidnon on Thursday.
Plete was behind by three shots at the start of the final round but came back with a birdie-filled back nine. She had a one-stroke lead to the 18th hole, but Tabanas also had a birdie from six feet to force a playoff at 224.
Plete closed with a 73 and Tabanas with a 76.
Both struggled with their approach on the par-5 18th.
Tabanas miscalculated her shot from 50 yards while Plete’s ball barely reached the fringe from a closer spot.
As Tabanas’ chip shot from 20 yards left her five feet past the hole for a possible par, Plete delivered an amazing putt from 10 feet to claim victory.
‘It was nerve-wracking on the last hole. Playing against my best friend in a playoff was very scary. Winning this series for the first time is a huge achievement for me, though I know it will bring more pressure,’ Plete said.
Finalist R
ane Chiu from Cebu placed third with a 248 after an 80.
Meanwhile, Alexis Nailga defeated fellow local player Clement Ordeneza by three strokes with a 54-hole total of 219 to secure the boys title.
Nailga, who was second to AJ Wacan at South Pacific, matched Ordeneza’s last three pars to card a 73.
‘I was pressured after bogeying No. 15, but I stayed focused. This win boosts my confidence, but I’m aware of the pressure to perform in the next tournament,” said the 15-year-old Nailga from Montessori Academy.
Ordeneza also finished with a 73 for a 222, while Luciano Copok from Manila took third with a 236 after a 79.
In the 16-18 category, Ally Gaccion of Cagayan de Oro won the girls title with a 71 and a 54-hole aggregate of three-under 213. The boys title went to Cliff Nuñeza.
Source : Philippines News agency
