Edoc, Dungca shine as weather tests JPGT Riviera field

SILANG, Cavite – Zoji Edoc delivered another standout performance, overcoming a shaky back nine with a composed frontside finish to card a 79 and seize a six-stroke lead in the boys 7–10 division of the ICTSI Riviera Golf Junior PGT Championship at the Riviera Golf Club on Tuesday.

The fifth leg of the seven-stage regional series, held at the challenging Couples course, saw fresh faces break through, intensifying the race for slots in the Elite Junior Finals in October.

Among the breakthrough performers were Ronee Dungca, Zianbeau Edoc, Marqaela Dy and Gabriela Sison, who all stepped up under pressure and difficult playing conditions.

Zoji Edoc shook off a rough start at the back, bouncing back with a two-birdie, one-bogey effort on the front for a 35–44 round, giving him a commanding lead over James Padron, who shot an 85 heading into the final round of the 36-hole tournament.

Halo Pangilinan followed with an 86, trailed by Asher Abad (87), Alexian Ching (90), and Giulio Ballado (95).

With a win at Sherwood Hills and two runner-up finishes, a victory here would cement Edoc’s place in the Finals alongside three-leg winner and first qualifier Zach Guico.

“I hit my irons well and picked up two birdies on the front nine,” said Edoc, brimming with confidence after a third-place finish at the Junior World Championships in San Diego.

“I played solidly in the first two rounds but struggled on the last day. Still, it was a good experience, and I really enjoyed it.”

Poised for a second-leg victory in the Luzon Series, the 8-year-old Gracewoods Academy student from Pasig is keeping things simple for the final 18 holes, saying, “If you get a bogey, just bounce back.”

In the girls 7–10 division, Dungca showcased her immense potential, taking full advantage of her sharp form and the late withdrawal of top contender Venus delos Santos to shoot a 73.

Her round included six birdies, with back-to-back conversions on the final two holes, giving her a nine-shot lead over Tyra Garingalao, who posted an 82.

Ziyu Liu followed with an 84, while Penelope Sy shot an 87.

“The experience has been really nice. I like the course — it’s a great way to improve my skills and learn from my mistakes,” said Dungca, 9, who turned in an impressive debut despite limited experience in the Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.-organized series.

While her score stood out, Dungca said the highlight of her debut wasn’t her birdies but the friendships she made.

“The best part was meeting new people and not having a bad day,” she said.

Now on the verge of capping a successful debut, Dungca kept her final round strategy private but emphasized one goal: “I’ll just enjoy myself, keep playing my game, and try to go lower than five-under.”

But it was the course — and the weather — that posed the toughest challenge.

Riviera’s rain-softened fairways and unpredictable greens made consistency elusive, with strong gusts and alternating sun and showers defining the day.

Zianbeau Edoc also made waves in the boys 11–14 division, carding a 78 with two birdies to grab a four-stroke lead over the field led by Jacob Casuga and Race Manhit.

Despite missing the first four legs of the series, the 14-year-old Junior Golf Academy standout showed no rust, relying on his long game to take control of the two-day event.

“The best part of my game today was my tee shots,” said Edoc, who struggled with Riviera’s tricky greens, including a costly four-putt on the par-4 12th that led to a double bogey.

“I couldn’t get the speed right today, but it’s okay,” he said.

“I’ll try to cut down on my mistakes and recover on the holes where I slipped.”

Casuga and Jacobo Gomez shot matching 82s to share second, while Nathaniel Yeung and Lujo Gomez posted 83 and 84, respectively.

Manhit, who opened with a 39 at the back, slipped to sixth after stumbling to a 46 on the front for an 85.

In the girls 11–14 division, Marqaela Dy made an immediate impact in her first appearance of the year, firing a 75 to edge out the Sarines twins, Mona and Lisa, who shot 77 and 78, respectively.

The 13-year-old from Cebu launched a late but serious bid for a spot in the Finals set for Oct. 7–10 at The Country Club.

“It was fun and challenging, but what I liked most was the competition and how I get to learn new things,” said Dy, who credited her accurate second shots for her solid round.

“They kept flying and landing close to the hole.”

Dy also stressed her focus and hard work as she eyes a breakthrough win.

Meanwhile, Mona and Lisa — who have virtually secured Finals spots with identical 42-point tallies after four legs — struggled with consistency.

Mona had two birdies but faltered with four bogeys and a triple bogey on No. 16, while Lisa’s six-over round included four bogeys and a double bogey on No. 13.

Alexie Gabi shot an 84, and Kendra Garingalao finished with an 86 after a back-nine 46 following an opening 40.

In the girls 15–18 division, contested over 54 holes, Gabriela Sison shot an 88 to take a three-stroke lead over Chloe Rada, who had a 91.

Tiffany Bernardino followed with a 97, while Finals contender Angelica Bañez faltered with a 98.

“My drives were really good — I think I hit almost every fairway, so that gave me a strong start today,” said Sison, 16, a student at Kingwood High School in Texas.

“This is only my second time playing in the JPGT, but I really like this course. I actually expected to score lower because my driving was on point, but my short game just wasn’t there. That’s something I definitely need to work on over the next two days.”

In the boys 15–18 division, the competition tightened as Patrick Tambalque battled through a rough front nine to salvage a 75 and take a one-shot lead over Santino Pineda, who carded a 76.

Shinichi Suzuki and Zachary Villaroman shot 78s to tie for third, followed by Kyle Ng (79), Andres Fabie (81) and Kristoffer Nadales (84).