Dungca shines in JPGT Riviera debut; Edocs sweep divisions

SILANG, Cavite — Ronee Dungca slowed down after a sizzling start but remained unchallenged, cruising to a commanding seven-shot win in the girls 7–10 division in her debut on the ICTSI Junior PGT Series at Riviera Golf Club Inc. on Wednesday.

Dungca closed with an 80 despite a shaky 43 on the back nine of the Couples course, completing a wire-to-wire victory with a 36-hole total of 153.

Her solid opening-round 73 virtually sealed the title, giving her a nine-shot cushion that proved insurmountable.

While her eight-over-par final round fell short of her personal target of 67, it was more than enough to secure the win on another blustery day.

Tyra Garingalao, who carded a 78 for a 160 total, settled for second, while Penelope Sy and Ziyu Liu struggled in the wind, finishing with 85–172 and 91–175, respectively.

“I feel good, happy. I feel a lot of things,” said Dungca, a 9-year-old student from OB Montessori in Angeles, Pampanga.

“But what I liked most was meeting new people and not getting a bad score.”

Focused until the final hole, Dungca emphasized the importance of continued practice, especially in putting and short game.

She birdied the opening hole for the second straight day but dropped four strokes over the next 10 holes and closed with five-over across the last four.

Still, her steadier play stood out as the swirling winds made precision club selection and distance control critical.

If Dungca sweeps the final two legs at Pradera Verde and Pinewoods, she could tally a maximum of 45 points and still crack the top four to qualify for the finals set Oct. 7–10 at The Country Club.

“Yes, I will play at Pradera Verde and Pinewoods,” she said, underscoring her intent to make a strong push for a finals spot in the series organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.

Only the top four in the seven-leg Luzon series will advance to the finals, where they will face the top performers from the Visayas-Mindanao series in a Ryder Cup-style showdown.

In the boys’ youngest division, Zoji Edoc stamped his class with a dominant 12-shot victory, securing his place in the finals with a two-day total of 155 after a closing 76.

Asher Abad and Halo Pangilinan posted identical 167s following rounds of 80 and 81, respectively, with Abad taking second place via countback after closing with five straight pars.

James Padron carded an 83 and slipped to fourth at 168.

Edoc, who previously won at Sherwood Hills and placed runner-up at Eagle Ridge and Splendido Taal, now tops the division rankings with 54 points, surpassing Zach Guico’s 45.

“I just kept my cool and focused on my shot management — it really came down to mindset,” said Edoc, who added that fatigue from the recent Junior World Championships, where he bagged the bronze, hardly affected him.

“I was more excited than nervous or tired because this is such a big event. I had no expectations — I just went out there and enjoyed it.”

Abad’s second-place finish gave him 12 points for a total of 42, while Pangilinan’s 10-point haul raised his tally to 40, keeping both in the hunt for a finals spot.

Zianbeau Edoc made it a family sweep by ruling the boys 11–14 division with back-to-back 78s for a 156 total, securing his first JPGT title with a seven-shot win over Race Manhit and Jacob Casuga.

“I played consistently on the back nine and my putting was a bit better today,” said Zianbeau, who admitted he didn’t expect to win, especially under tough conditions.

“The wind made it really challenging. But I’m really proud because this is my first win.”

Manhit matched Zianbeau’s final round with a 78 for a 163 total and edged Casuga, who limped home with an 81, in the countback for runner-up honors.

In the girls 11–14 class, the Sarines twins continued their dominant run, finishing tied with identical 150s — Lisa with a final-round 72 and Mona with a 73.

Mona, however, prevailed in the second playoff hole on No. 9 with a birdie to complete a hat trick following victories at Splendido Taal and Caliraya Springs.

“My shots were better today and my putting was really on point, so I was able to score much better,” said Mona, who now leads the division with 57 points, ahead of Lisa’s 54.

“It’s a great feeling, but I also feel a bit sad for Lisa,” she added, following their first playoff battle.

“Still, I’m really proud of myself — and Lisa played really well too.”

Mona noted that the victory was especially satisfying given their recent campaign in the Junior World Championships, where they competed alongside bronze medalist Zoji Edoc.

“We’re all a bit tired from the Junior World, so winning again feels really good,” she said.

First-day leader Marqaela Dy stayed in control early with a frontside 37 but faltered with three straight bogeys starting on No. 10 and a double bogey on the 16th.

She finished with a 78 and settled for third at 153.

In the boys’ premier division, Patrick Tambalque preserved his three-stroke cushion with a gritty 73 for a 148 total.

Shinichi Suzuki bounced back with a 73 of his own to trail at 151, while Kristoffer Nadales rebounded with a 74 to tie for third at 158 with Zachary Villaroman, who struggled with an 80.

“My putting has slightly improved, but I still missed a number of close birdie chances,” said Tambalque in Filipino, who is eyeing a third leg win after ruling the Eagle Ridge and Splendido Taal stops of the series organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.

“Still, I’m happy with my performance.”

On dealing with the tough playing conditions, the bespectacled rising star said: “I just adjusted my alignment to play it safe because the wind was really strong.”

“There’s pressure, but I’ll stick to my game plan,” he added.

“I’ll just focus on my score and manage the course.”