Bautista holds ground

MANILA, Philippines — Javie Bautista proved his mettle against some of the world’s top junior golfers to claim the runner-up spot at the Malaysian International Junior Open 2024 over the weekend.

The 12-year-old Filipino posted back-to-back rounds of 71 in swirling winds at the Tanjung Puteri Golf Resort in Johor. His 142 total was just two strokes shy of Japanese Ryusei Kuroiwa, who clinched victory with a 68-72 performance for a 140 in the boys’ 10-12 category.

Competing in a highly skilled 52-player field featuring contenders from Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, China, Singapore and India, Bautista fired clutch birdies on Nos. 15 and 16 before holing out with gritty pars, securing his podium finish in a dramatic final stretch.

“I’m grateful for the experience of competing with so many talented young golfers,” said Bautista. “There’s always something to learn, and I’m looking forward to improving my game.”

The road to the Top 3 was anything but smooth. Facing stiff competition from Vietnam’s Nguyen Quoc Bao Huy, Bautista delivered a remarkable comeback in the final holes.