Unson claims US jr plum

MANILA, Philippines - Andie Unson primed up for the Junior World Championship next week as she came away with a three-shot victory despite a shaky windup, closing out with a four-over par 76 to beat three rivals for the 2010 San Diego Junior Masters golf crown in California last Tuesday.

Unson, 15, came through with back-to-back birdies from No. 13 to cushion the impact of her three straight bogeys in the closing holes for that 76 and a 148 aggregate over the 36-hole tournament in the girls’ 15-18 division.

She won by three over Cathleen Santoso of Australia, who ran out of holes and finished with a two-over 74 on a birdie-birdie windup for a 151.

“I just stayed focused and kept in mind what coach Bong had told me: ‘that I would win,’” said Unson, referring to mentor Bong Lopez, the man at the helm of the ICTSI golf program.

Unson actually jumped the gun early on the field, matching par 72 in the first day on a four-birdie, four-bogey stint to build a four-stroke lead over ICTSI teammate Sarah Ababa and Angela de Villla and Thai Suchaya Tangkamolprasert, winner of last year’s Callaway Junior World Championship in the 13-14 category.