DAVAO CITY. — The youngest guns rose to the occasion in the opening round of the ICTSI South Pacific Junior PGT Championship, delivering performances that belied their age in the 7-10 division. But none came close to matching the electrifying brilliance of prodigy Denise Mendoza.
The 10-year-old Cebuana turned what began as a tight contest into a personal showcase, coming through with a stunning six-birdie blitz from No. 10 at the South Pacific Golf and Residential Estates that transformed the competition into a one-girl show with a 64.
After trading three birdies with as many bogeys at the front nine amid humid conditions and overcast skies, Mendoza caught fire at the turn – reeling off birdies on Nos. 10 through 15 in a stunning display of precision and poise rarely seen in junior play.
Though her streak briefly halted with a routine par on the 16th, Mendoza bounced back with birdies on the last two holes for a sizzling 28 at the back and a brilliant eight-under round.
And in golf, greatness often finds a touch of fortune. On the signature island green of the par-3 15th, Mendoza misjudged a downhill putt that appeared headed long. But the ball struck the flagstick flush and dropped – highlighting her unforgettable back-nine barrage.
“I was surprised – I really didn’t expect to score this low, especially on a course I’ve never played before,” said Mendoza, who credited her spectacular round to a simple but powerful piece of advice from her dad Paolo: “Stay calm and stick to the basics, especially when you hit a bad shot or things start to go wrong.”
She also emphasized the importance of her precise iron play: “Most of the time, my approach shots left me with easy birdie chances – usually within five feet. That meant I didn’t need to make a lot of long putts.”
With a massive 23-stroke lead over Del Monte leg winner Soleil Molde heading into the final round of the 36-hole competition, Mendoza isn’t letting up.
“I’ll just play exactly the same way,” said the Cebu Learning Center standout with quiet confidence.
That mindset should be more than enough to put the title out of reach, as her nearest challengers faded in the opening round – Molde posting an 87 and Francesca Geroy limping home with a 91.
In the boys’ side, Jamie Barnes remained firmly on track for a third straight championship after clutch birdies at the end of his round highlighted his 71, giving him a commanding eight-shot cushion over Davao’s Miguel Revilleza.
While his finish didn’t match Mendoza’s jaw-dropping backnine, Barnes’ own closing run – three birdies on the last three holes at the front – was enough to seize full control of the boys’ 7–10 category.
“I think I played really well, especially in the last three holes. That made me very happy,” said the 9-year-old, flashing a big smile. “I also had a lot of fun out there.”
He admitted the layout posed a few challenges: “The course is tricky, especially the greens. Some are fast, then some are really slow, and a lot of them have big slopes. But I still managed to get some birdies.”
Now chasing a rare three-peat after wins at Del Monte and Pueblo de Oro, the Wellington Thailand student has his eyes set on another solid outing: “I’m hoping to shoot even-par or maybe 2-under tomorrow.”
Revilleza bogeyed No. 8 to finish with a 79, pulling ahead of Cebu’s Kvan Alburo, who double bogeyed No. 4 and bogeyed three of the last five holes to end up with an 80, while Shaqeeq Tanog fumbled with an 84 and James Rolida of Cagayan de Oro settled for a 90.
In the 11-14 division, also played over 36 holes, South Cotabato’s Jared Saban moved to the brink of victory after back-to-back third-place finishes at Del Monte and Pueblo de Oro. He carded a 74 to seize a three-stroke lead over Guio Pasquil in the boys’ category.
Saban shot two birdies against four bogeys for a 36-38 round, staying firmly in contention for the crown in the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
Pasquil mounted a strong frontside charge with a 36 en route to a 77, while Del Monte and Pueblo de Oro leg champion Ken Guillermo faltered with a 78, marred by two double bogeys and four bogeys against two birdies.
In the girls’ 11-14 class, Brittany Tamayo, also from South Cotabato, dazzled with a three-under 69. The Mactan leg winner stormed to a commanding seven-stroke lead over Del Monte leg champion Kimberly Baroquillo, who struggled with a 76, while Zuri Bagaloyos posted a 78.
Meanwhile, in the premier category contested over 54 holes, local bets AJ Wacan and Adrian Bisera took control of the boys’ division with rounds of 72 and 75, respectively. Korean Eric Jeon remained within striking distance with a 76, while CDO’s Armand Copok recovered from a shaky 41 at the turn with a strong closing 36 for a 77–five shots off the lead.
In the girls’ 15-18 division, Davao’s Merry Rosa Wacan birdied the par-5 No. 7 on her way to salvaging a 77, then watched Del Monte’s Crista Miñoza stumble with a late bogey on No. 8, resulting in a tie at five-over.
That set the stage for a shootout in the next two days as Del Monte leg winner Zero Plete failed to recover from a disastrous backside 46, limping home with an error-strewn 42 for an 86 – nine shots off the pace. Mikela Guillermo fell two strokes further back with an 88.
