Zaragosa, Medalla Phl match play champions

MANILA, Philippines - Rupert Zaragosa clipped Gen Nagai, 4&2, while Felicia Medalla wore down Mikhaela Fortuna on the 20th hole to crown themselves the NGAP’s Philippine National Match Play champions at Canlubang’s South course in Laguna yesterday.

Zaragosa actually trailed for the first time in the tournament after a routine par on the first hole but the veteran campaigner turned on the heat from there and went on to post the emphatic win in the event presented by MVP Sports Foundation.

“I am very happy because I was able to regroup after trailing,” said the 15-year-old Zaragosa, a graduating high school student from Don Bosco-Canlubang.

It was Zaragosa’s second match play crown.

“This means a lot to me, because this title says that 2011 was not a fluke,” he said.

Medalla, meanwhile, needed two extra holes to dispose of the equally young Fortuna of Team ICTSI and book the biggest win of her budding career.

JP de Claro and Bernice Olivares-Ilas bagged third place honors in their respective divisions with the former scoring a 1-up victory over Gabriel Manotoc and the latter walking over No. 1 seed Daniella Uy.

The event served as part of the PLDT Group Amateur Tour and was backed by Pancake House, Pacsports and Golf Depot.

On hand during awards rites were officials of the organizing National Golf Association of the Philippines led by president Tommy Manotoc and vice president Caloy Coscoluella.

Zaragosa birdied the third and fourth holes to storm ahead and took the seventh and eighth holes to go 3-up at the turn.

He knocked down a long birdie putt on the 11th to pad his lead and played Nagai on even terms the rest of the way.