Focus on JPGT girls’ 13-15 division rumble

BACOLOD, Philippines — As berths in the national finals hang in the balance, the ICTSI Junior Philippine Golf Tour concludes its three-leg Visayas series here today at the challenging Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club.

While some players have zeroed in on berths in the Philippine Match Play Championship with standout performances in the Iloilo and Bacolod legs, a fierce battle looms in the girls’ 13-15 division. Tiffany Bernardino, Alexie Gabi and Rane Chiu are locked in a tight race for the two slots in the national finals in October at The Country Club in Laguna.

Gabi topped the Iloilo leg, followed by Bernardino and Chiu. Bernardino then shone in the first Bacolod tournament at the Bacolod Golf and Country Club in Murcia, edging out Chiu and Gabi by one stroke. The competition further tightened as Chiu nipped Gabi in the countback for runner-up honors.

Points are awarded based on players’ performance in each leg of the five-month, 14-stage nationwide series organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.  The winner earns 15 points, while the second and third placers gain 12 and 10 points, respectively.