Zaragosa snatches JPGT Pueblo crown in playoff; Nailga triumphs again

CAGAYAN DE ORO — A week after suffering a heartbreaking one-shot loss to Zero Plete at Del Monte, Precious Zaragosa delivered a stirring comeback of her own Thursday, erasing a daunting five-stroke deficit before outlasting her rival in sudden death to capture the girls’ 15-18 division crown in the ICTSI Junior PGT Pueblo de Oro Championship here.

Zaragosa completed the dramatic turnaround with nerves of steel, draining a clutch four-foot par putt in the playoff after Plete cracked under pressure and missed an eight-foot par attempt for a costly three-putt miscue on No. 9 of the Pueblo de Oro Golf and Country Club.

The victory was as emotional as it was sweet.

Zaragosa threw her arms up in triumph while Plete, denied a second straight Visayas-Mindanao Series title, broke down in tears after the stunning reversal.

Despite trailing by five strokes, Zaragosa believed she still had a chance.

And that belief fueled one of the tournament’s fiercest closing charges.

Zaragosa caught fire on the front nine, birdying five of the last nine holes to card a scorching four-under 68 and force a playoff at 224 total.

“I believed I still had a chance and kept telling myself to stay focused and give my best no matter what happens,” said the 15-year-old Zaragosa of Cangolf and Learning Links Academy, adding she kept herself composed and focused throughout the round.

She described the win as a major confidence boost after her previous loss at Del Monte.

“This victory really boosts my confidence after Del Monte. I’m so happy to finally get my first win in the Vis-Min series after failing to win last year,” she added.

Plete appeared headed for another victory after edging Zaragosa in their gripping backside duel at Del Monte last week, but momentum shifted dramatically in the final round.

The young standout struggled to keep her lead intact and ultimately stumbled with a 73, undone largely by a costly double bogey on No. 7 coming home.

The collapse opened the door for Zaragosa, who seized the opportunity and completed a memorable redemption victory in one of the most thrilling finishes of the season.

Lois Laine Go placed third with a 238 after a 77.

The boys’ premier division produced its own share of final-round tension, though the battle never quite reached the heart-stopping intensity of the girls’ showdown.

Still, the race for the crown remained wide open until the closing stretch as Alexis Nailga weathered late pressure and a shaky finish to escape with a hard-earned three-stroke victory at 229 despite a birdie-less 78.

Nailga appeared in control for most of the day, but the closing holes at the front of the demanding layout refused to yield easily.

A double bogey on the par-3 No. 6 suddenly opened the door for the chasing pack and injected fresh drama into the title chase.

But local favorite Martin Lu and Bukidnon standout Clement Ordeneza were unable to capitalize as both unraveled on the front side in a punishing stretch that paved the way for Nailga’s victory, his third in the regional series.

Lu mounted a late charge, birdying No. 1 to pull within a stroke of the lead, only to reel back with a costly mistake on No. 2.

Under mounting pressure, he bogeyed three straight holes from No. 4, dimming his title chances.

He battled to stay within reach but bogeyed the ninth for a 78 as he finished tied for second at 232 with Ordeneza, who skied to an 80.

Ordeneza struggled to find rhythm all day.

After staying in contention through the early holes, he stumbled with a bogey-double bogey skid from No. 5 that derailed his challenge.

Unable to produce a single birdie in the final round like Nailga, he limped home with an eight-over par.

Nailga reflected on his composed finish after securing another victory following wins in Mactan and Del Monte.

“I wasn’t really checking the scores. My focus was just to make that final putt on the last hole,” he said.

The 16-year-old from Bukidnon, who also considers Pueblo his home course, credited his consistent driving and familiarity with the challenging layout.

“It feels great to win on your home course. But the key to my victory was my driving — it was really solid from Round 1,” he added.

Zaragosa and Nailga thus joined earlier division winners Stephen Clementer and Soleil Molde (7-10) and Jared Saban and Brittany Tamayo (11-14) heading to the last two Vis-Min legs in Bacolod and Negros Occidental next month.

Armed with a commanding five-stroke lead after 36 holes, Plete appeared firmly in control as the contenders teed off from the backside.

Even after giving up a stroke through nine holes, she still looked headed for victory, countering the pressure with birdies on Nos. 3 and 6 to maintain a three-shot cushion over the steadily charging Zaragosa.

But Zaragosa never blinked.

Quietly and methodically, she pieced together one of the day’s fiercest rallies, birdying Nos. 1, 5, and 6 to keep the pressure simmering while waiting for an opening.

It finally came at the par-5 seventh.

Plete’s costly double bogey cracked the door wide open, and Zaragosa stormed through it with another birdie, erasing the deficit in a stunning three-shot swing that tied them at seven-over overall.

Suddenly, what had looked like a coronation became a nerve-wracking sprint to the finish.

Both players held their nerve down the stretch, matching par-birdie finishes to close regulation at 224, forcing sudden death.