Ordeneza, Plete book JPGT Match Play berths

CAGAYAN DE ORO – While the earlier matches in the ICTSI Junior PGT Mindanao Series were marked by tight finishes, the 13-15 division finals at Pueblo de Oro Golf and Country Club saw dominant performances as Clement Ordeneza and Zero Plete cruised to commanding victories here Wednesday.

For Ordeneza, the win served as a sweet redemption. After consistently shooting under-par across three days, Ordeneza secured his title by getting the better of fellow Bukidnon native Alexis Nailga, who had bested him in Del Monte last week.

Despite slowing down slightly with a final round of 70, after a blistering 65 in the second round, Ordeneza finished with an impressive 10-under 206 total, clinching victory by 19 strokes as Nailga stumbled to a 78 for a 225. Luciano Copok placed third with a 236 total after a 79.

Ordeneza credited his victory to a strong opening round of 71.

“It’s always been about my first tee shot. If I start well, I usually finish strong,” said the 14-year-old student from Little Me Academy, who struggled to recover after an initial round of 79 at Del Monte.

“My putting was solid last week, but it’s been even better these past three days,” added Ordeneza, who bounced back from a bogey on the fourth hole with birdies on the 7th, 14th and 16th.

Ordeneza’s stellar performance not only earned him the championship but also a coveted spot in the Match Play Championship, set for October 1-4 at The Country Club in Laguna. He joins Apo and South Pacific leg winner AJ Wacan in the final event. Although Ordeneza and Nailga each had a win and a runner-up finish at the close of the four-leg regional series, Ordeneza’s superior 10-under-par performance secured his place through a tiebreaker, which took into account the best gross scores in relation to par across two events.

Ordeneza had a 222 at Del Monte while Nailga scored a 219.

Plete, on the other hand, left no room for doubt about her dominance in the girls’ side of the nationwide series organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. and sponsored by ICTSI. The local talent closed out her tournament with a commanding 34-stroke victory, finishing with a 235 total after a 76.

Mikela Guillermo and Stephanie Tagud finished far behind, with scores of 269 and 319 after 88 and 106, respectively.

Plete's resounding victory stood in stark contrast to her tense playoff win against Isabella Tabanas at Del Monte last week. Her triumph earned her 30 points, securing a spot in the Match Play finals alongside Apo and South Pacific leg champion Johanna Uyking.

“The main difference from Del Monte is that I was hitting better shots last week, and my body felt strong. This time, I felt a bit weak and struggled to keep my shots on the fairways and greens,” said Plete, who, despite the challenges, still achieved her goal of breaking 80.

In the premier 16-18 division, the title chase became a battle of resilience between two finalists from the Visayas series. Simon Wahing managed to pad his lead to seven despite a front-nine struggle, finishing with a 79 for a 228.

John Rey Oro, who had cut Wahing's lead to just two strokes after nine holes, couldn’t maintain his momentum as the latter birdied two of the first three holes on the back nine, keeping him at the top with 18 holes left to play.

Oro yielded seven strokes in the last six holes, including a triple-bogey on the par-5 15th. He wound up with an 80 for a 235 while Del Monte leg winner Cliff Nuñeza fought back with a 76 for a 236.

"My game was a bit off with a 7-over," said Wahing. "But I don't feel any pressure heading into tomorrow (Thursday). I’m really hoping to improve my putting."

Wahing's round of 41-38 was highlighted by birdies on Nos. 1, 10, and 12, which helped to soften the damage from a triple bogey on the par-5 third hole where his 3-wood second shot went out of bounds, leading to a missed green and a two-putt finish.

In the girls’ 16-18 division, CdO's Ally Gaccion and Crista Miñoza are all but assured of their spots in the finals. Gaccion, with a stellar even-par 72, leads the series with a 220 total, 21 shots ahead of Miñoza, who carded a 77 for a 241.

"My game was solid, and it was a quick round. I stayed composed and managed to play even par, which I think is quite good, especially from the blue tees," said Gaccion of her one-birdie, one-bogey round.

Despite her commanding lead, she remains determined to improve. "My putting strokes have been off lately," she said.