DAVAO CITY. — All eyes will be on the boys’ division of the ICTSI South Pacific Junior PGT Championship as Cagayan de Oro’s Jamie Barnes and Ken Guillermo chase their third straight victories after dominating performances at Del Monte and Pueblo de Oro.
The third leg of the four-stage Mindanao swing of the Visayas-Mindanao Series tees off Wednesday at the well-maintained South Pacific Golf and Residential Estates, where local aces aim to reassert their supremacy after sweeping Del Monte but falling short at Pueblo.
Barnes, who posted a five-shot victory at Del Monte followed by a commanding nine-stroke romp at Pueblo, faces stiff resistance from fellow Cagay-anons James Rolida and Shaqeeq Tanog, Davao’s Aison Bagares, and Cebu’s Kvan Alburo, who won the JPGT Match Play Finals last year – all bent on denying him a sweep.
Stopping Barnes, however, will require more than just local familiarity and fierce determination.
Meanwhile, the boys’ 11-14 division is expected to deliver equally electrifying action as Guillermo, who crushed the field by seven strokes at Del Monte and by 10 at Pueblo, seeks to sustain his dominance and secure a coveted spot in the JPGT North vs. South Elite Junior Finals.
Apart from the individual crowns, ranking points are also on the line in the race to the grand finals. To qualify, participants must compete in at least three of the seven events in the Luzon and Visayas-Mindanao series, with the top four players per division advancing to the Oct. 7-10 finale at The Country Club in Laguna.
But Guillermo faces a deep pool of challengers, including Davao’s Guio Pasquil, Nicolas Bernardo, Dominic Cayabyab, George Chua and Daniel De Luna. South Cotabato’s Jaren and Laurence Saban, Bukidnon’s Mico Woo and Ranulfo Parangan, and Valencia’s Marcus Dueñas are also eyeing strong starts in a bid to shake up the leaderboard.
In the girls’ 15-18 class, Zero Plete looks to rebound from a third-place finish at Pueblo after topping the Del Monte leg. She’ll contend with a stacked lineup, including fellow Bukidnon standout Crista Miñoza, CDO’s Mikela Guillermo, and hometown bets Merry Rose Wacan, Santinna Patosa and Feby Gulane.
The boys’ premier division also shapes up for a fierce showdown, with top Davao bets Adrian Bisera, Matthew Reyes, Caleb Go, Stuart Co, AJ Wacan, Felix Bula III, Angelo Curayag, Gabriel Rosal, Mark Tomanggong Jr. and Markel Kima bracing for battle against Cebu’s Eric Jeon and CDO’s Seth Santos.
Another spotlight is cast on Armand Copok, whose closing 69 at Pueblo vaulted him from seventh to second, just behind three-leg winner Alexis Nailga. The 16-year-old CDO ace is expected to put on another stellar performance in pursuit of a breakthrough in the series organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
Equally thrilling duels loom in the younger girls’ divisions. In the 7-10 class, Del Monte leg winner Soleil Molde returns to home turf eager to regain the top spot after missing the Pueblo leg. She faces tough competition from CDO’s Francesca Geroy, Davao’s Zoey Mascariñas, and Mactan leg and 2024 Match Play Finals winner Eliana Mendoza.
The 11-14 division is likewise stacked, with South Cotabato’s Brittany Tamayo, winner of the Mactan leg, gearing up for a duel with Del Monte champ Kimberly Baroquillo of Davao. Also in the mix are Cebu’s Zuri Bagaloyos, GenSan’s Julia Movilla, Bukidnon’s Yvonne Colim, and local bets Coleen Ang, Solana Molde, Jelian Peñaranda and Ayla Pavadora.
