RP girls snare record 3 crowns in Jr World

Dottie Ardina and Mia Legaspi sustained their form to rule their respective classes while Cyna Rodriguez completed a stirring come-from-behind victory in her own side of competition as the Philippines scored a record-setting feat in the Callaway Junior World Golf Championships by winning three division titles in San Diego, California on Thursday (Friday in Manila).

The 12-year-old Ardina, winner of the girls’ 7-8 division in 2002, cruised to a whopping eight-stroke victory over Lindsey Weaver of Arizona with a final round score of four-under par 69 at the Cottonwood’s Ivanhoe course, capping a run of under par scores that included back-to-back three-under par 70s for a 54-hole aggregate of 209.

So dominating was Ardina that she closed out with four birdies in the last five holes, including a birdie-birdie-birdie windup, to romp away with the girls’ Class C (11-12 years old) crown.

Weaver matched par 73 and settled for second with a 217 while Paveenuch Sritragul of Thailand, Daffodil Sanchez of Arizona (74), Pearl Jin of California (73), and erstwhile pursuer Mariko Tumangan, also of Californaia (78) shared third place with 220s.

The seven-year-old Legaspi, on the other hand, maintained her overnight four-shot lead over Allisen Corpuz as the second grader at the Masters Academy matched the Fil-American bet’s closing even-par 58 at the Sycuan Pine Glen course to pocket the girls’ Class E (7-8) crown with a 181. Corpuz wound up with a 185.

Rodriguez, for her part, worked her way up from third in the first round, second in the next before capping her triumph in the girls Class B (13-14) by birdying three of the last six holes for an even par 72-213 in the final day at the Sycuan Oak course. She beat Chirapat Jao-Javanil of Thailand (72) by one stroke while two-day leader Elisa Aoki of Japan slid to third after a 76-216.

Teeing off on the 17th tied with Chirapat, Rodriguez put her 9-iron tee shot to within eight feet of the flag then rolled in the go-ahead birdie putt .She secured the one-stroke win with a two-putt par on the final hole.

"Despite a shaky start, Cyna didn’t give up because she knew she can beat her rivals. She was very determined and confident of her ball striking," said Chris Guerrero, who with Bong Lopez and Nestor Mendoza composed the coaching staff of the ICTSI squad. ICTSI sponsored the stint of 11 players in the event under its jungolf program, including Ardina and reigning RP Ladies Open champion Debbie de Villa. The other ICTSI players who made the cut were Wolen Superal at the Riverwalk and Mico Yee and De Villa at the Torrey Pines.

Ryan Monsalve added a third place finish in boys Class F (6 and under) to the history-setting Philippine campaign in the event that drew a thousand players from 52 countries.

Previously, it was the double victories of Ramon Brobio and Carito Villaroman in 1983 and 1985 that served as the high point of the Philippine campaign here, which started in the early 1980s.

"We just showed the world that we don’t only have Manny Pacquiao but very good jungolfers as well," said delegation head Bang Mamaril, president of Jungolf, which fielded 48 kids here with the support of Philippine Airlines, Samsung, Pagcor and PCSO.

Monsalve was the best finisher among the boys, placing third with his 59-181 at Colina Park. JR Gonzales (60-185) checked in sixth in Class D and Miguel Tabuena wound up 11th (74-220) in Class C at Cottonwood.

Only De Villa managed to qualify for the final round in girls Class A at Torrey Pines but was already way down the standings with his 77-226, 14 adrift of Japan’s Mika Miyazato. Antonio Asistio (75-227) was tied for 34th and Miko Yee (76-230) shared 48th with the leader Matthew Giles of Australia at 208.