An secures ICTSI Forest Hills crown; Villacencio pockets top purse

ANTIPOLO – Junior golfer Yunju An showcased remarkable composure and talent well beyond her years, claiming a dominant seven-stroke win over Gretchen Villacencio despite a closing 74 in the ICTSI Forest Hills Ladies Classic at the Nicklaus course here on Friday.

The 13-year-old Korean prodigy not only withstood a fierce challenge from her compatriot Jiwon Lee early on but did so with remarkable composure and skill that left both her competitors and spectators in awe.

An wrapped up the 54-hole tournament with an impressive three-over 216 total, which included a remarkable two-under 69 in the second round, securing a commanding victory over Villacencio, who carded a 73 for a 223.

Apo leg winner Sarah Ababa matched par with a 71 to tie Miya Legaspi, who shot a 73, at third place with 224s, while Chihiro Ikeda finished in fifth place with a 226 after posting a 75.

Lee, who started the final round in second place, five strokes behind An, made a strong push early on and pulled within one stroke of the leader. However, her charge faltered in the final stretch as she stumbled through a double bogey-bogey-double bogey run at the finish, ending up with an 80.

She dropped to a tie for sixth at 227 alongside fellow Korean Seoyun Kim, who carded a 74.

Three-leg winner Harmie Constantino rallied with a 73 to earn a share of eighth place at 228 alongside Laurea Duque, who posted a 74, while Florence Bisera also mounted a comeback with a 73 to tie Mafy Singson, who put in a 74, at 10th place with 229.

While An dominated the field with her stellar performance, Villacencio, Ababa and Legaspi battled fiercely for runner-up honors and the top prize of P130,000.

In the end, Villacencio edged out her rivals with a par on the final hole, as Ababa and Legaspi’s late birdie and eagle on No. 16, respectively, left them just one stroke short. Ababa and Legaspi halved the combined P165,000 second and third prizes.

Meanwhile, not even a bogey-bogey finish could derail An’s march to victory, as she had built a comfortable cushion over her more seasoned opponents with birdies on the long 10th and 16th holes.

An’s triumph underscored the immense power she possesses at such a young age. But it wasn’t just her strength that carried her to the top – it was also her ability to remain calm and composed under pressure, a trait rarely seen in players her age.

“My driving was good today, but the irons were a bit unstable,” An said through an interpreter, her eyes wandering as she responded to questions at the Forest Hills clubhouse, which overlooks the 18th green. “My short game also needs improvement, but the putting was okay. Every time, two putts.”

“She has raw power,” said her coach, PGT campaigner Dino Villanueva, who has been working with the young Korean for the past two months to improve her iron play and short game. “Since her ball-striking is already impressive for her age, we’ve been focusing on the 110- and 120-yard shots. She’s improving with every tournament.”

An made her breakthrough in the local golf scene when she won the Junior PGT leg at Mount Malarayat three weeks ago in her debut. From that moment on, Villanueva, who also coaches at Woodrose School in Alabang, knew he had a future star in his stable.

“I’d like to thank my parents for their support, and also my grandma and uncles Kobe and Jack. I also want to thank coach Dino for teaching me,” An said.

Despite a wobbly start and Lee’s early surge, which cut An’s overnight five-stroke lead down to just one after the latter birdied the third hole, An remained unfazed.

The pressure mounted, but in a remarkable display of resilience, An birdied the seventh and managed to par the next two holes, recovering to post a front-nine score of 38.

In contrast, Lee’s hopes unraveled with a disastrous triple-bogey on the par-5 fifth hole, followed by another bogey, leaving her with a 39 at the turn and allowing An to extend her lead back to six strokes.

This shift in momentum effectively turned the back nine into a coronation walk for An, as her closest challengers, including Villacencio and Ababa, failed to stage any meaningful comeback.

An’s unrelenting control on the course allowed her to close out an unlikely but thoroughly well-deserved victory, just three weeks after she claimed the top spot in the girls’ 13-15 division at the JPGT.

Her stunning win also eclipsed Lee’s impressive triumph at the Lakewood Championship last June, where the 16-year-old became the first JPGT player to win an LPGT title by defeating Chihiro Ikeda in a sudden-death playoff.

Lee went on to win her pro debut at Splendido Taal last July.

However, An, barely in her teens, took the feat to another level. Her emphatic win was not only lopsided but achieved under some of the most challenging conditions, with on-and-off weather that tested the patience and skills of the entire field.

In the end, An’s championship run serves as a testament to her incredible potential, marking her as a rising star in both junior and professional golf.