Wahing, Gotiong rule JPGT Negros golf tilt to earn finals slots

BACOLOD – Bukidnon’s Simon Wahing overcame early challenges and survived a late stumble to clinch the boys’ 16-18 category title at the ICTSI JPGT Visayas Series 3 with a 78, foiling Bryce Lacida by three strokes at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club Thursday.

The 18-year-old Wahing’s performance not only earned him a wire-to-wire victory with a 307 total but also advanced him to the Philippine Junior Match Play Championship. He topped the premier division in the three-leg Visayas series organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. with 27 points, building on his runner-up finish to absentee Patrick Tambalque at the Bacolod Golf and Country Club in Murcia last week.

Iloilo leg winner John Rey Oro secured the other slot in the national finals with 25 points, clinching the berth by placing third with a 311 after a second straight 75.

Wahing, who overcame a double-bogey on No. 15 and bucked a bogey-bogey windup, completed the 72-hole tournament in impressive fashion, pulling away by five with a frontside 37. Lacida settled for second with a 310, also after an eight-over card.

Wahing endured the pressure from Lacida but remained confident throughout.

“I struggled at the front and became nervous when Lacida moved closer,” said Wahing. Nevertheless, he remained optimistic about his performance, expecting to win after a failed bid in Murcia.

Earlier, Dominique Gotiong turned the final 18 holes of the girls’ competition into a virtual practice round and coronation walk. She finished with an 80 for a total score of 326, far ahead of Iloilo leg titlist Rhiena Sinfuego, who totaled 395 after a 93. Breanna Rojas placed third with a 419 after shooting a 105.

It was a dominant two-week display of shotmaking and skills for the 16-year-old Gotiong, who also crushed the field in Murcia. Though she did not meet her target of improving on her third round 78, the Cebuana golfer won by a wide margin despite fumbling with three double bogeys and four bogeys.

“I think I did better here at Marapara than at the Bacolod Golf and Country Club because the course here is wider,” said Gotiong. Despite this, she emphasized the need to improve her overall game in preparation for the match play finals on October 1-4 at The Country Club.

“I need to gain more distance and improve my short game, particularly my putting,” she added. She also expressed gratitude for her family, especially her father-coach Dominic, for their unwavering support. “They (my parents) really motivated and pushed me to do better,” said Gotiong.

Like Gotiong, Wahing credited his family for their support and is considering competing in next week’s JPGT Luzon series at Riviera as part of his preparations for the national finals of the nationwide circuit sponsored by ICTSI.

Meanwhile, Sinfuego, who competed in the two Bacolod legs through sponsorships, secured the other berth in the head-to-head finals with a 27-point haul. The Iloilo native expressed concern not only about her preparations but also her capability to compete in Manila.

Other finalists from the three-leg Visayas series were Eliana Mendoza, Ana Marie Aguilar, Kvan Alburo and Tobias Tiongko (8-9), Zuri Bagaloyos, Cailey Gonzales, Race Manhit and Kurt Flores (10-12), and Tiffany Bernardino, Rane Chiu, Nyito Tiongko and Inno Flores (13-15).