Baroquillo’s ace, Barnes’ breakout lead charge at JPGT Del Monte

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BUKIDNON, Philippines – Wire-to-wire victories defined the battle for supremacy in two age divisions of the ICTSI Del Monte Junior PGT Championship, with frontrunners from Davao and Cagayan de Oro splitting top honors with two titles apiece here on Thursday.

CAPTION: Winners pose with PGTI executive director Nana Soriano (left) and Del Monte Golf Club clubhouse manager Bea Roque (right) during awards ceremonies. They are (from second from left, Kimberly Baroquillo, Soleil Molde, Ken Guillermo and Jamie Barnes). PGT PHOTO

Davao’s Soleil Molde and Kimberly Baroquillo turned in dominant performances in the girls’ 7-10 and 11-14 divisions, respectively, in their 36-hole showdowns. Baroquillo punctuated her dominant campaign with a hole-in-one on No. 12 of the Del Monte Golf Club.

On the boys’ side, CDO’s Jamie Barnes and Ken Guillermo emerged triumphant in the same age brackets, dashing the hopes of local bets and keeping the homegrown talents winless in the kickoff leg of the four-stage Mindanao swing of the Visayas-Mindanao Series.

Baroquillo displayed remarkable consistency, firing a second straight 73 for a 146 total, four strokes ahead of Mactan leg winner Britanny Tamayo, who posted another 75 for a 150. CDO’s Isabella Espina placed third with a 168 after an 87.

“I really aimed for the right side, going against my caddie’s advice to hit it straight,” recalled 13-year-old Kimberly Baroquillo of her hole-in-one. “It landed on the right and rolled straight into the hole.”

She used a TaylorMade 7-iron to ace the 147-yard No. 12, with her remarkable feat earning her a certificate and ₱10,000 in cash courtesy of Del Monte Golf Club.

The South Pacific mainstay and student of Homeschool Global also secured her first JPGT victory, crediting her breakthrough to a newfound sense of patience and composure.

“I usually get tense and nervous while playing. On every tee box, I always worry I might mess up,” admitted Baroquillo, who expressed gratitude to her parents, uncles, and aunts for their unwavering support since Day 1.

“All the hard work has finally paid off. I’ve been training intensely over the past few months to improve, and winning for the first time is just an incredible feeling,” she said.

Molde, who seized a three-shot lead after an opening-round 77, cruised to a seven-stroke romp despite a closing 79 for a 156 total for a seven-stroke triumph over Clarin Quiño, stumbled with late double bogeys and ended with an 81 for 163.

“It was the challenges I faced that kept me going. I learned from my mistakes, made new friends, and most of all, God helped me win,” said 8-year-old Molde, who hones her skills at Apo Golf. “I’m really happy with this victory.”

Francesca Geroy, second after 18 holes in the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., slipped to third after an 84 for a 164 aggregate.

In the boys’ 7-10 division, Barnes marked his JPGT debut in style, posting a five-stroke win over Mactan leg winner Ethan Lago. The nine-year-old ignited his title run with a fiery four-birdie binge over five holes from No. 10, before cooling off with a bogey on the 16th to settle for a 69 and a 141 total.

Lago birdied the final hole to salvage a 70 and secure solo second at 146, while Lucas Revilleza turned in a 78 and edged multi-titled JPGT standout Kvan Alburo, who stumbled with a 79, in the countback for third after both finished at 155.

“I think I played really well today. I had four birdies and just one bogey on the back nine,” said 9-year-old Barnes of his commanding victory. He thanked his dad and uncle for their support and expressed his delight at clinching a JPGT title on his very first attempt.

Guillermo, who finished runner-up in Cebu, endured a roller-coaster frontside finish to salvage a 73 and capture the 11-14 crown with a 143 total, besting Marcus Dueñas, from nearby Valencia, by seven shots.

Dueñas rallied with a gutsy 73 to edge South Cotabato’s Jared Saban, who faltered with a 79, for second place after both finished tied at 150.

“It’s all about consistency. I didn’t make a double bogey the entire tournament – and that’s a stat I’m proud of,” said 13-year-old Guillermo, savoring the long-awaited taste of victory.

“Winning for the first time feels amazing. After settling for silver and bronze finishes in the past, this one really means a lot,” added the rising star, who credited his steady putting for his breakthrough triumph.

“My putting saved me more than once, helping me avoid potential double bogeys. That’s where consistency really came in,” he said.

Challenged early on by Saban, Guillermo shared how he kept his composure: “I just focused on staying comfortable under pressure. If not, I knew I could easily unravel on the next holes.”

While joining the growing roster of leg winners, the four champions also strengthened their bids for the ICTSI North vs. South Elite Junior Finals, where the top four players from each division after the seven-leg series will earn spots on the Vis-Min team for the national finals set for Sept. 30 to Oct. 3 at The Country Club in Laguna.

Meanwhile, Bukidnon’s Zero Plete and Alexis Nailga remained on track to dominate the premier 15-18 division, staying atop the girls’ and boys’ leaderboards, respectively, with gritty second-round efforts under overcast skies and humid conditions.

Plete weathered a bogey-laden front nine to card a 39 and finish with her second consecutive 75 for a 150 total, maintaining a comfortable five-shot cushion over Davao’s Precious Zaragosa, who turned in a 77 for a 155.

Local bet Crista Miñoza bounced back from an opening 81 with a 76 but still trailed Plete by seven strokes at 157 heading into the final round of the 54-hole tournament.

Despite holding a commanding lead, Plete stressed the importance of staying focused and avoiding complacency.

“There wasn’t much difference from my game yesterday. I just missed a few fairways and had some lapses on the greens, including a three-putt bogey on No. 10 from birdie range,” said Plete.

Nailga moved closer to securing his second straight victory in the boys’ 15-18 division with a bogey-free 70, building a three-shot lead at 142 after a dominant performance at Mactan. Fellow homegrown talent and last year’s Match Play champion Clement Ordeneza stayed within striking distance, birdieing three of the last six holes to also card a 70 for a 145 total.

Vince Naranjo turned in a steady 73 to take solo third at 152, while Armand Copok and Nyito Tiongko slipped to a share of fourth at 153 after struggling with identical 79s.