TEAM North skirted the so-called homecourt advantage to seize a commanding 7 1/2-4 1/2 lead over Team South in the Four-ball format at the start of the International Container Terminal Services Inc. North vs South Elite Junior Philippine Golf Tour (JPGT) Championship at the Pueblo de Oro Golf and Country Club here Tuesday.
The defending champions imposed their will early by taking control of seven of the 12 best-ball matches contested in three age groups to nearly match their 8-4 opening output they fashioned in ruling the inaugural showdown at The Country Club last year.
Zach Guico and Kingston Ching set the tone for the Northerners’ early charge, going 3-up after just seven holes against South’s Ethan Lago and Lucas Revilleza in the boys’ 7-10 division.
They never looked back for a convincing 5and4 victory that Zoji Edoc and Kenzo Tan complimented against Stephen Clementer and Darren Ong, 3and2, in another boys’ 7-10 duel.
Edoc highlighted their victory with a hole-in-one on the 80-yard No. 13 using a 54-degree club and a Taylormade TP5 ball.
Chan Ahn and Vito Sarines made it three straight for North with an equally emphatic performance in the boys’ 11-14 class where they defeated Ken Guillermo and Mio Woo, 6and4.
South stemmed the tide when Ralph Batican and Jared Saban fashioned a 4and2 victory over Javie Bautista and Jacob Casuga in the other boys’ 11-14 match, but the Northerners responded by taking three of the next four matches, sweeping the boys’ 15-18 encounters. They were also poised to dominate girls’ 7-10 duels as conditions grew hotter but Athena Serapio and Jehanne Mendoza blew a 3-up lead, enabling Blake Aguilar and Soleil Molde to force an all-square match, the only face-off that ended in standoff in the day.
Shin Suzuki and Santi Asuncion blasted Alexis Nailga and Clement Ordeneza, 4and2, while Jakob Taruc and Nathan Belandres ripped Sebastian Sajuela and Roman Tiongko, 5and4, in the boys’ premier side.
Jaicee Cervantes and Andrea Dee provided the other win in girls’ youngest division, a 5and4 rout of Vanya Go and Akeisha Yocte.
South answered in the girls’ 11-14 matches as Rafella Batican and Brittany Tamayo dominated Cailey Gonzales and Georgina Handog, 4and3, and Marqaela Dy and Zuri Bagaloyos drubbed Mavis Espedido and Quincy Pilac, 3and2, and picked up another win in one of the girls’ 15-18 encounters-a 2and1 triumph by Tashi Balangauan and Precious Zaragosa over Lisa Sarines and Rafa Anciano.
North closed the day with a 4and2 victory by Mona Sarines and Kendra Garingalao over Apple Gotiong and Lois Lane Go in the other girls’ premier-division faceoff to preserve its three-point cushion.
‘The game today was really unexpected’ Team North captain Joey Anciano said. ‘When we saw South’s lineup, they went all-out, so I wasn’t expecting anything. I just told the kids to play, trust their teammates, and they did.’