Serdenia, Lee reign supreme in Junior PGT Splendid golf tilt

LAUREL, Batangas – In a remarkable display of resilience, skill and poise, Charles Serdenia emerged victorious in a tense back-nine duel against Zachary Villaroman, clinching a four-stroke triumph with a closing 74 in the boys’ 15-18 division of the Junior Philippine Golf Tour Luzon Series I at the Splendido Taal Golf Club here Friday.

Serdenia’s victory was cemented by a crucial two-shot swing on No. 13, which he birdied from 6 feet, marking a stunning fightback from being three strokes down with nine holes to play to seizing a one-stroke lead. He then capitalized on Villaroman’s faltering performance, including a disastrous triple-bogey on the 14th, to secure the win with a 311 total.

Villaroman failed to recover from that costly 7 and ended up with a 79 for second with a 315, while Alexander Crisostomo placed third with a 323 after an 81.

In the girls’ division, Jiwon Lee dominated with a whopping 13-stroke victory over Lia Duque, finishing with a 75 for a 17-over 305 total over 72 holes. Duque faltered with an 82 for a 318 while Anna Fernandez claimed third place with a 343 after an 81.

“This win is memorable. It’s my first time becoming a JPGT champion,” said Serdenia, who turned 15 Thursday, in Pilipino. “I told myself that I wouldn’t let go until I secured the win. Fortunately, I birdied both Nos. 12 (12 feet) and 13."

“However, heading to No. 14, I was extremely nervous because I was 1-up, so I just decided to aim for the green and two-putt,” he added. 

For her part, Lee mentioned that she didn’t expect to win, as her focus was on finishing around 15-over over 72 holes.

“I wasn’t really expecting to win. But I’m very grateful,” said Lee. “I was just trying to keep my score and do better than my previous tournaments. My goal was to finish around 15-over for four days.”

“I didn’t quite meet that expectation, but I learned from this experience, and now I’m confident I can manage my score better in the future,” she added.

The margin of victory in the boys’ division belies the intense duel between the two contenders. Serdenia, trailing by three shots after the front nine, mounted a determined recovery, while Villaroman, who started the day strong, crumbled