Fortuna dominates US Kids-Teen golf

MANILA, Philippines - Mikhaela Denise Fortuna kept Team ICTSI’s romp abroad as she topped the US Kids-Teen World Golf Championship girls’ 13-division at the Mid Pines Golf Club in North Carolina recently.

Fortuna rode on a 72 card in the second round to dominate the field, finishing with a 223 for a seven-stroke victory over Janejilla Marston of Thailand in the 54-hole tournament.

The De La Salle-Zobel student rammed in three birdies to negate her bogey on No. 8 and double-bogey on the 17th for that even-par round that put her unassailably ahead by 13 strokes.

Not even a closing four-over 76 could stop the Team ICTSI mainstay from nailing the crown although Marston rallied with a two-under 70 and still fell short at 230.

Caroline Craig placed third with a 232 after a 72.

Fortuna actually wrested control early, carding a 75 to open a six-shot lead over Craig, who skied to an 81, while Marston hobbled with an 82. The Filipina bet then flashed superb form in the second round and pulled away with that 72 before cruising in the final round to run away with the victory.

The win came on the heels of Team ICTSI spearhead Princess Superal record win in the US Girls Juniors Championship where she edged Mexico’s Marijosse Navarro on the 37th hole to become the first Filipino-born player to win the world’s premier junior golf tournament in Arizona.