BACOLOD – Intense tropical heat and a daunting tight layout couldn’t cool down the fire in Stephen Clementer and Soleil Molde as they braved tough conditions to seize control of their respective divisions at the start of the ICTSI Bacolod Junior PGT Championship here on Wednesday, June 3.

With spots in the North vs South Grand Finals on the line, the short but tricky par-70 Binitin course tested the young golfers’ poise, turning the opening round of this penultimate stop of the six-leg regional series into a virtual survival of the fittest.

Brimming with confidence following a recent playoff victory that snapped Ethan Lago’s three-leg winning streak at Pueblo de Oro, Clementer picked up right where he left off. Despite battling the heat and a cold putter, he ground out a gritty 80. A double-bogey on the challenging par-3 18th did little to dampen his position as he walked off with a commanding three-stroke cushion over Thomas Ngo, who shot an 83 with Ashton Araw-araw turning in a 93.

The opening round tested not only the skills of the young competitors but also their adaptability, as the weather shifted dramatically from a scorching, humid morning to a gloomy, overcast afternoon swept by unpredictable gusts of wind.

While Clementer sits comfortably at No. 3 in the Finals race, the stakes are high for his chasing pack. With Darren Ong (No. 4) and Marlou Langamin (No. 5) skipping this week’s action, the door is wide open for Ngo (No. 6, 14 pts) and Araw-araw (joint No. 7, 12 pts) to mount a critical, late-season charge into the coveted top-four qualifying spots.

“My game was good. I practiced hard yesterday, and making sure I got enough rest afterward definitely paid off,” said Clementer in Filipino. “Moving into the final 18 holes, my goal is to push myself even further to secure the back-to-back victory.”

The girls' youngest division produced the day’s most electric highlights. Molde surged into the lead with a 73, punctuated by a sensational pitch-in eagle on the par-4 13th.

She is hotly pursued by Bacolod’s own Ana Marie Aguilar, who carded a 74, spearheading her charge with three birdies over the final seven holes. With Akeisha Yocte (76) and Zoey Mascariñas (77) breathing down their necks, the final 18 holes project to be a thrilling shootout of nerves and strategy.

“It was a pretty good day out there – I managed to card an eagle and a few birdies. The key was just staying completely locked in all day, learning from my mistakes as they happened instead of letting them get to my head,” said Molde.

In the boys’ 11-14 class, Mico Woo shrugged off a tough afternoon to submit an 82, storming to an emphatic six-stroke lead as his rivals crumbled under Binitin's tight fairways.

Jordino Mesina faltered with an 88, Isaac Locsin hobbled with an 89, while Luigi Alvarez and Arthur Garcia limped home with matching 97s. Woo, currently sitting at No. 5 in the rankings, is primed to leapfrog into the finals picture with a victory.

"My chipping worked for me today; almost all of my approach shots landed tight to the pin. However, the unpredictable surface of the course made it a struggle, and I ended up missing a lot of crucial putts," said Woo.

On the girls' side, Rafella Batican banked on a blazing three-birdie blitz from No. 2 to survive a shaky backside start. Her 72 earned her a two-shot lead over Zuri Bagaloyos (74), who fell back with consecutive bogeys on the last two holes. Kimberly Barroquillo (76) and Eliana Dumalaog (77) remained firmly in the hunt, making it a dramatic four-way collision course for top honors and ranking points.

"I’m really proud of how I played. I had a tough time on the back nine, but I managed to recover with three straight birdies at the front. The key out there is to never give up. Even if you suffer a bad start, you just have to maintain your focus at all times,” said Batican.

Set over a grueling 54 holes, the premier division saw players aggressively positioning themselves for a breakthrough and a third leg victory.

In the boys' 15-18, Mhark Fernando III delivered a resilient 72 to carve out a two-stroke lead over Eddie Gonzales, Jr. (74). Ritchie Go struggled to a 79, while Clement Ordeneza stumbled with an 81.

"My game was a bit off today, mostly because my course management wasn't where it needed to be. The wind started picking up out there, forcing me to over-club just to safely reach some of the greens," said Fernando, chasing his first win in the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

In the girls’ centerpiece division, Tashanah Balangauan overcame illness and took a big step toward cementing her finals berth. Despite an up-and-down 77, she opened a two-shot lead over Lois Lane Go (79) while Mikela Guillermo posted an 83, followed by Francine Jalandoni (88) and Stacy Chiu (90).

‘"I played really poorly by my standards, but today was less about technique and more about adapting to how my body felt. I was playing under the weather, so I just kept reminding myself to stay strong, persevere, and finish the round,” said Balangauan, who swept the Mactan and Alta Vista legs but skipped the two tournaments in Mindanao.

“It started out incredibly hot, which took a lot out of me. Moving forward, I need to focus on rehydrating and getting enough rest, especially with the weather expected to remain intensely hot over the next three days,” she added. “The key to tackling the remaining 36 holes will be staying mentally tough, finding consistency, and minimizing my errors."