JPGT Riviera golf: Anciano, Tambalque pull off wire-to-wire wins

SILANG, Cavite – Rafa Anciano and Patrick Tambalque strengthened their bids for the Philippine Match Play Championship with wire-to-wire victories in the ICTSI Junior PGT with the former securing another Luzon Series win at Riviera’s Couples course here Friday following a playoff triumph at Pinewoods.

Tambalque, on the other hand, scored a follow-up to his title romp in the Visayas Series 2 in Bacolod in a multi-series campaign in the nationwide circuit, defeating Simon Wahing once again in the boys’ 16-18 category.

Anciano delivered a stunning performance, annexing a commanding 40-stroke victory over Gabriela Sison. She capped off her triumph with a closing 87 for a 336 total in the girls’ premier division of the series organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.

Sison posted an 88 to finish second with a total score of 376, followed by Chloe Rada (91-381), Casey Frankum (97-390) and Necky Tortosa (109-449).

"It was obviously more relaxed here compared to Pinewoods," said Anciano, who had to go head-to-head for all four days and play an extra hole to defeat Chloe Rada at Pinewoods in Baguio, clinching her first win after finishing fourth and fifth at Splendido Taal and Pradera Verde, respectively.

"Having an early big lead (14 shots) also helped me focus on other aspects of my game, like my short game and how to improve my drives or second shots. It felt like a game where I could just try to score my best without the pressure of competing against my opponents," added Anciano, who thanked God, her family, and supporters for her latest triumph.

Tambalque, despite a shaky back nine on his home course, managed to stay in control, pouncing on Wahing’s late mishap to win by eight on a 12-over 300 total after a 76.

Wahing, one of the 16 finalists from the Visayas Series with a victory at Negros Occidental and runner-up finish at Bacolod Golf and Country Club, made birdies on Nos. 3 and 5 to cut Tambalque’s lead to six. However, bogeys on Nos. 8 and 9 stalled his progress, and despite a two-shot swing on the par-4 14th (birdie-bogey) and Tambalque’s double-bogey on No. 16, he triple bogeyed the par-3 17th, which he birdied in the previous round.

He ended up with a 76