Zaragosa seals JPGT Luisita win after back nine surge

TARLAC – Precious Zaragosa displayed remarkable poise when it mattered most, delivering clutch shots on the back nine to edge out Mona Sarines and secure the 13-15 category title with a 73 in the ICTSI Junior PGT Luzon Series 5 at the Luisita Golf and Country Club here Thursday.

After a shaky front nine, where she posted a three-over card, Zaragosa found herself tied with Sarines at seven-over overall as the latter rallied from five strokes down with a brilliant 34 in the first nine holes.

But a birdie-bogey exchange on No. 10 shifted the momentum back in Zaragosa’s favor. The 13-year-old Learning Links Academy student then pulled away with another birdie on the 14th as Sarines stumbled with three more bogeys and a double bogey to finish with a 76.

“My putting was bad on the front nine, with three-putts, while Mona kept sinking hers,” said Zaragosa, whose victory has fueled her determination to secure one of the four coveted slots in the Match Play Championship in October.

However, the two-shot swing was a confidence booster, and Zaragosa drew further inspiration from her father, Boyet, who followed her during the last nine holes.

“Big thanks to my dad because when he watched at the back nine, I started making birdies,” said Zaragosa, whose precise approach shots on Nos. 10 and 12 set up birdie putts within three feet, paving the way for an unchallenged march to victory, her second in the ICTSI-sponsored series, following a four-shot triumph, also over Sarines, in the season opener at Splendido Taal last May.

She assembled a 221 over 54 holes, winning by eight strokes over Sarines, who ended up with a 229. Mona’s twin sister Lisa, a two-leg winner, wound up third with 233 after a 77.

Jakob Taruc, meanwhile, also bolstered his Match Play bid with a runaway victory in the boys’ division, closing with a round of 77 for a total of 225. He finished 10 strokes ahead of John Paul Agustin, Jr., who wavered with a 79 for a 235.

Zianbeau Edoc snared third place with a 248 after an 84.

“I tried to play it safe in the first few holes, but it backfired. Then I got a bit over-confident and before I knew it, Paul (Agustin) almost caught up with me,” said home-schooled golfer