BAGUIO – Javie Bautista and Mavis Espedido completed their steady rise from contenders to champions, capturing the 11-14 titles in contrasting fashion at the ICTSI John Hay Junior PGT Championship here on Wednesday, April 29.

Bautista staged a brilliant comeback in the boys’ division, overcoming a strong field and a seven-stroke deficit to secure a thrilling one-stroke victory over Vito Sarines after a brilliant 65, while Espedido dominated the girls’ side from the outset, cruising to a wire-to-wire six-stroke triumph over a late-charging Ronee Dungca despite a 74 at the par-69 John Hay layout.

After a third-place finish at Summit Point, Bautista finally broke through – and did so in stirring fashion. Entering the final round seven shots behind Sarines, he trailed for much of the day before unleashing a decisive run of three straight birdies to close, then watched as Jacob Casuga faltered down the stretch.

Casuga had appeared in control, firing a four-under card through 12 holes and rallying from five strokes back to take a lead of as many as three. But costly mistakes – bogeys on Nos. 14 and 16 and a double bogey on the 17th – derailed his title bid.

Sarines kept the pressure on, matching Bautista’s clutch birdie on the 17th to pull even at three-over overall. However, he couldn’t replicate Bautista’s closing birdie, allowing Bautista to seal a dramatic victory that had seemed unlikely after an opening 75.

Bautista’s explosive finish gave him a 36-hole total of 140, edging Sarines, who carded a 141 after a 73, while Casuga settled for a 69 and slipped to third at 142.

“My game was really good, and I’m proud of myself because it was my personal best,” said Bautista, 13, reflecting on his final-round heroics.

“I struggled with my chipping – everything was coming up short – but I managed to put it all together at the finish, including a chip-in for birdie on the 17th,” he added.

Bautista came into the third leg of the Luzon Series well-prepared, having trained at the Junior Asian Golf Academy in Thailand to improve his approach shots, which he said had been the biggest weakness in his game.

“This win means a lot, especially since I dedicate it to my mom, who is celebrating her birthday this month,” said Bautista. He capped his strong finish with a solid 8-iron tee shot on the par-3 No. 18, setting up the winning putt from six feet.

Espedido entered the third leg of the JPGT Luzon Series determined to improve on her earlier finishes – a fifth-place result at Mount Malarayat and a runner-up showing at Summit Point. Despite an opening-round 76, the young standout from Subic Bay surged ahead by six strokes and sealed the victory with a four-over performance, finishing with a 150.

Dungca attempted a comeback with a strong 73 in the final round, but her costly opening 83 left too much ground to recover. She settled for second at 156, still an impressive showing for the rising star from Angeles City, who swept all her three tournaments in her JPGT debut last year.

“I faced challenges, but I was able to recover from my bad shots by bouncing back on the next hole or shot,” said Espedido. “I stayed focused and calm, which helped me regain my rhythm.”

She added that she prepared rigorously – physically, mentally and in terms of overall health – to elevate her performance.

“I’m very proud of this win because I worked hard for it, and I’m grateful to have made my parents proud,” she added.

Kelsey Bernardino placed third at 165 after carding an 83.

Meanwhile, Winter Serapio delivered a commanding response in the girls’ 7-9 division, bouncing back from a setback in the previous leg to dominate the field once more.

Serapio matched her first round 73 to finish at 146, overwhelming the competition by 15 strokes. The victory marked her second win in three starts and served as redemption after a five-shot loss at Summit Point.

“This win means a lot to me because every medal and trophy is a big thing, because I worked hard for this,” said the nine-year-old Serapio from La Salle-Greenhills.

“I missed some birdie chances but I hit it pretty good on driving. But the greens are so fast, and tough to putt,” she added.

Cecilia Mamauag struggled to keep pace, limping to an 82 for a 161 total, while Amiya Tabla placed third at 166 after an 88.

With her latest triumph, Serapio bolstered her bid for a spot on the North team, where the top four in each division – provided they have competed in at least three tournaments – will advance to the Elite Junior Finals at The Country Club in September.

In the boys’ 7-10 category, Zoji Edoc also turned the tables on a previous rival, cruising to victory with an impressive three-under 135 total. The Taytay native set the tone early with a sparkling 66 and closed with a 69 to finish six strokes clear of Summit Point leg winner Zach Guico, who shot a 71 for a 141. Alexian Ching placed third at 150 after a 73.

“This win means everything to me, but I know I need to train harder and keep improving,” said Edoc, who is eager to shine once again in the fourth Luzon Series leg at Sherwood Hills from May 4 to 6.

In the girls’ 15-18 division, twin sisters Mona and Lisa Sarines traded places as Mona mounted a strong comeback, firing a 69 to erase a four-shot deficit and edge ahead at 146 heading into the final round of the 54-hole tournament.

Lisa, who led after the first round with a 73, struggled with a birdie-less 76 and slipped to second at 149, while Kendra Garingalao carded a 75 for a 152.

In the boys’ premier division, Tristan Padilla moved closer to a breakthrough, shooting a steady 69 for a five-under 133 total to keep a four-shot lead over Geoffrey Tan, who fired a two-under 67 for a 137. David Serdenia climbed to third at 139 after an impressive 66.

Meanwhile, Shinichi Suzuki failed to recover from his opening 70, limping with a 74 to drop to fourth place at 144.

In Bukidnon, standouts from Davao and South Cotabato took early control in two divisions of the ICTSI JPGT Del Monte Junior PGT Championship at Del Monte Golf Club on Wednesday as Ethan Lago and Soleil Molde dominated the 7-10 category, while Jared Saban and Brittany Tamayo led the 11-14 class after strong opening rounds.

Lago, aiming for a third straight Visayas-Mindanao Series win, fired an even-par 72 to open a four-shot lead over Lucas Revilleza, who struggled with a 76, with Stephen Clemente posting an 80. In the girls’ side, Molde impressed with a 74 to seize a commanding 16-shot advantage over Maxine Cabang (90) with Faith Frayco posting a 91.

In the 11-14 division, Saban bounced back from a recent runner-up finish with a 70, taking a three-shot lead over Ken Guillermo (73), while local bet Ralph Batican carded a 74.

Tamayo delivered the most remarkable round of the day, a flawless eight-under 64, highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 14th, to dominate the girls’ bracket. She led local ace Rafella Batican (72) by eight strokes, with Kimberly Baroquillo in third with 75.

Meanwhile, Bukidnon’s Clement Ordeneza and Zero Plete took charge in the 15-18 division as the former sizzled with a three-under 69 to grab a two-shot lead over Blademher Estologa, who carded a 71 with Mactan leg winner Alexis Nailga posting a 74.

Plete, on the other hand, matched par 72, spiked by an eagle on the 14th, to grab a one-stroke lead over Davao’s Precious Zaragosa, who shot a 73 with Mikela Guillermo staying in the hunt with a 74.