MANILA, Philippines - Marcel Puyat birdied No. 17 then matched Anthony Paolucci’s par on the 18th to score a shock 1-up victory and advance to the second round of the 62nd US Juniors Amateur at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey Wednesday.
Puyat, who struggled to finish joint 41st in the 36-hole stroke play qualifier, yielded two of the first three holes but drew level with a par and a birdie on Nos. 7 and 8 before pouncing on the Texan’s double-bogey mishap on the ninth to seize control. He kept the lead up to No. 14 but Paolucci, ranked No. 7 in US juniors who finished the elims at joint 23rd, birdied the par-5 15th to send the match to all square.
But the ICTSI golf scholar knocked down a birdie on the 17th to regain the lead then barely missed a chip-in birdie for a tap-in on last hole to clinch the victory over the 2007 US Junior finalist.
That set the former Ateneo stalwart, No. 74 on the Golfweek ranking, into the second round against Taylor Gooch of Oklahoma, ranked No. 20 who trounced Canadian Charlie Hughes, 4&3.
Top seed Jordan Spieth blasted Chris Houston, 6&5, to set up a clash with Jack Perry, who nipped Grayson Murray after 20 holes.
Puyat’s win made up for fellow ICTSI golf scholar Dottie Ardina’s early exit in the US girls juniors side as the reigning national champion absorbed a stinging 4&3 defeat from Rebecca Lee-Benthem in the first round.
It was a sorry loss for the 15-year-old Ardina, who had hoped for a solid campaign here after finishing sixth in the recent Junior World in San Diego.