SAN DIEGO, California–From a triple kill to a triple letdown.
Dottie Ardina failed to sustain a searing rally while Mia Legaspi squandered a five-shot lead as the Philippines settled for a pair of runner-up finishes in the Callaway Junior World Golf Championships in various courses here.
The 13-year-old Ardina lost the girls 13-14 years title by one stroke to Victoria Tanco of Argentina despite a birdie-birdie windup, wasting a big rally from four shots down with a bogey on the 15th hole that told heavily on her bid for a third victory here.
Legaspi appeared on her way to a title repeat in the girls 7-8 years as she led by five after seven holes. But an eagle by eventual winner Angel Taingi Yin of the United States on the eighth against her bogey led to a three-shot swing that started a sputtering finish for the defending champion who bogeyed four of five holes from the 10th.
Ardina’s tournament-best three-under 69 gave her a 212 total for 54 holes, barely missing a playoff with Tanco who completed a wire-to-wire win with a 72-211 at the Sycuan Resort. Legaspi ended up with a 63-180 against the 57-176 of Yin.
Even Bambee dela Paz, the second round leader in the 15-17 years division for the Philippines, lost control.
She could only score a three-over 77 after a pair of two-under rounds the first two days and dropped to a tie for fifth at Torrey Pines North. Dela Paz will be joined by Cyna Rodriguez and Regan de Guzman in today’s last round.
Rodriguez tallied 76-226 for a share of 13th while de Guzman carded a 77 for 231. Bernice Olivarez-Ilas wound up third in 6-under play, Princess Superal placed fourth in the girls 9-10 category and Andie Unson checked in fifth in the 11-12 division for the Philippines’ other worthy finishes.
Marcel Puyat was the best performer among the boys of the RP delegation supported by PAL, PCSO, Electrobus/Callaway, Inquirer Golf and Intel. He finished tied for 11th in the 13-14 years category.
The Philippine results:
Class A: Girls- 77-221 B. dela Paz T5, 76-226 C. Rodriguez T13, 77-231 R. De Guzman T30, 77-232 C. Ikeda Missed Cut, 80-238 S. Baraquiel MC, 81-242 P. Sotto MC; Boys: 79-243 J. Abdon MC
Class B: Girls-69-212 D. Ardina T2; Boys-72-217 M. Puyat T11
Class C: Girls-74-221 A. Unson T5, 77-228 I. Gabasa T12; Boys-74-221 B. dela Paz T13, 71-223 M. Tabuena T18, 72-223 JR Gonzales T18
Class D: Girls-59-175 P. Superal T4, 64-185 Daniela Uy T12 MC; Boys- 67-197 AR Ramos T19, 65-197 M. Yee T19, 66-201 T. Arevalo T35
Class E: Girls-63-180 M. Legaspi T2, 6-194 LK Go T10; Boys-66-191 L. Uy T16
Class F: Girls-62-184 B Olivarez-Ilas 3rd, 63-192 A. Nocum 5th; Boys-71-208 P. Winsett T32, 73-212 D. Bantug T38, 72-216 A. Ballesteros T43