Padilla, Sarines seal commanding wins at JPGT Sherwood

TRECE MARTIRES, Cavite — Routs highlighted the premier 15-18 division in the fourth leg of the Luzon Series at Sherwood Hills Golf Club here on Wednesday, as Tristan Padilla and Lisa Sarines capped dominant campaigns by turning the final round of the ICTSI Sherwood Hills Junior PGT Championship into a virtual coronation.

Both effectively secured their victories with commanding leads built in the first two rounds, leaving the finale as preparation for the last two stages of the six-leg regional series at Beverly Place in Pampanga and Eagle Ridge in Cavite next month.

Padilla delivered another standout performance, starting the day with an 11-stroke advantage over Shinichi Suzuki and quickly extending it to 15 after six holes.

While Suzuki struggled early, Padilla maintained control and cruised to victory, showcasing consistency and composure throughout the round.

Fresh off a six-shot win at John Hay, Padilla proved even stronger on Sherwood Hills’ tougher layout, posting back-to-back 71s before closing with a two-under 70 for a 212 total and a dominant 16-stroke victory.

Suzuki finished second at 228 after a 75, while Jose Jacobo Gomez carded a 75 to snare third place at 234.

Despite back-to-back dominant victories, Padilla emphasized that his development is far from complete.

“There’s still a lot of room for improvement, and I’ll keep working on that,” said the 17-year-old from De La Salle-Zobel. “These back-to-back wins show that I can compete at a high level. I’ve been focusing on making the most of every opportunity, and that’s really helped me these past two weeks.”

In the girls’ category, Sarines mirrored Padilla’s dominance, winning by 18 strokes over twin sister Mona Sarines.

Lisa closed with a 69 for a two-under 214 total, reversing her 11-stroke loss to Mona at John Hay.

Mona showed early promise with four birdies but faltered with three straight bogeys for a 71, finishing at 232, while Rafa Anciano placed third at 237 after an 80.

Despite securing a commanding victory — her second after Malarayat — Sarines maintained that she is still far from her peak form and remains committed to continuous improvement.

“This isn’t the best I can be yet. I’m always working to get better every day, every round,” said Sarines. “This win means a lot because it boosts my confidence. Playing well this week shows me I can aim for even better results moving forward.”

Padilla and Sarines thus joined earlier division winners Zach Guico and Winter Serapio in the 7-10 division, as well as Race Manhit and Georgina Handog in the 11-14 division, in the fourth leg of the regional series organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.