Golf
North survives South rally, takes 5-point lead into JPGT singles
Team North appeared headed for another runaway victory after racing to a commanding lead, only to find itself fighting for every point down the stretch before escaping with a crucial 7-5 victory over South in the Foursomes on Day 2 of the ICTSI North vs. South Elite Junior PGT Championship at the Pueblo de Oro Golf and Country Club in Cagayan de Oro on Wednesday.
What looked like another North romp quickly turned into a test of nerve.
North surged to an imposing 8-4 lead midway through the alternate-shot format, with its depth once again on full display. But South refused to fold, launching a spirited comeback that steadily chipped away at the deficit and turned what had appeared to be a one-sided affair into a gripping finish.
The hosts produced a string of clutch performances in the closing matches. With momentum firmly on their side, South pulled within striking distance at 4-6 and needed only to win the final two matches to salvage a dramatic overall draw for the day.
North, however, held its nerve when the pressure peaked.
Jakob Taruc and Nathan Belandres battled back from three holes down to force Clement Ordeneza and Sebastian Sajuela into an all-square finish, while Mona Sarines and Kendra Garingalao likewise halved their match against Tashanah Balanguan and Precious Zaragosa. Both matches were in the 15-18 division.
Those two halves proved decisive.
Instead of completing the comeback, South was forced to settle for a split of the final two points, leaving North with a 7-5 victory and, more importantly, preserving its advantage heading into Thursday’s deciding singles matches.
North consequently stretched its overnight three-point cushion to five points, 14 1/2-9 1/2, putting itself in a strong position heading into the final stage of the North-South duel.
But the scoreline hardly told the whole story.
The day was marked by wild swings in momentum, lopsided results and matches that went down to the wire. North controlled the early stages and seemed poised to bury the hosts under another avalanche of points. South responded with the urgency of a team with its back against the wall, winning key matches and capitalizing on North’s inability to close out the final stretch.
By the time the last few matches came around, the complexion of the competition had changed completely.
North team captain Joey Anciano said his side’s comeback in the boys’ 15-18 category was crucial in salvaging a draw and making for an exciting day of matches.
“We came from 3-down in the boys’ 15-18 to force a draw. So definitely, the matches today were very, very exciting. Kudos to the other team also, which put up the lineup well,” said Anciano.
Asked what went according to plan and what did not, Anciano pointed to the two all-square matches as a major turning point.
“The two all-square matches were very crucial for us. That gave us a 7-5 win today. So it was unexpected, but we’re very fortunate to have that win. Credit to the players for putting their heart out,” he said.
Anciano admitted that the team’s original goal was simply to avoid falling behind in the highly unpredictable alternate-shot format.
“Actually, the plan was, at the very least, we get 6-6 today because alternate is a very, very hard format. That makes it very, very unpredictable. So we’re very fortunate that we saved an all-square for the two matches to have a two-point lead today,” he added.
With the deciding singles matches up next, Anciano vowed that North would go all-out in its bid to secure the overall victory.
“We hope that the first seven to 10 matches would be in our favor, so we can win the tournament,” he said.
For South team captain Boyet Zaragosa, the biggest setback came in the boys’ 15-18 category, where his team squandered a big lead late in the match.
(C) JPGT
Zaragosa rued the collapse but remained encouraged by the overall performance of his players.
“What failed for us was the boys’ 15-18. We were 3-up going into the last four holes, but they managed to tie the match. Overall, it was a good lineup,” said Zaragosa in Filipino.
Despite South trailing by five points heading into the deciding singles, Zaragosa remained defiant.
“We’ll fight tomorrow,” he said.
He acknowledged, however, that South would need to overcome a difficult matchup in the 7-10 category.
“We’re a bit down in the 7-10 category, but we still have a chance in the other matches,” he added.
Zaragosa also stressed that the singles matches could hinge on momentum, making the final day difficult to predict.
“Actually, it’s difficult to match up because all of them (North) are very good. But it still depends on who gets off to a good start because in match play, it’s more about momentum. But it will be exciting,” he said.
South had erased much of North’s early advantage and was threatening to turn the entire day around. North needed composure more than brilliance.
And that was exactly what it delivered.
The two late all-square finishes denied South the sweep it needed in the girls’ premier category and allowed North to walk away with another crucial victory—one secured not through domination, but through resilience when its early advantage had nearly disappeared.
The result underscored the competitive nature of the North-South showdown, with neither side willing to give ground despite North’s early control and South repeatedly threatening to close the gap.
Like on Day 1, North came out firing, winning four of the first five matches, including a sweep of the boys’ 11-14 division. But South showed its resilience in the boys’ 7-10 class, where Stephen Clementer and Ethan Lago produced a dramatic late comeback to edge Zach Guico and Kingston Ching, 1-up, on No. 18.
Lago blasted brilliantly from the greenside bunker to within pin length, and Clementer calmly converted the putt to snatch the victory, drawing loud cheers from the home gallery.
Zoji Edoc and Kenzo Tan answered for North in the other boys’ 7-10 match, repulsing Lucas Revilleza and Darren Ong, 3&1, while Javie Bautista and Jacob Casuga rebounded strongly from their Four-ball setback with a 5&4 rout of Jared Saban and Ken Guillermo. Chan Ahn and Vito Sarines also routed Ralph Batican and Mico Woo, 6&4, in the boys’ 11-14 division.
North likewise continued to flex its strength in the girls’ divisions. Jaicee Cervantes and Andrea Dee made it two straight wins with a 2&1 decision over Vanya Go and Soleil Molde.
South, however, responded with another clutch performance as Akeisha Yocte and Blake Aguilar pulled ahead late to stun Winter Serapio and Jehanne Mendoza, 2&1, in a finish that drew another round of applause from the gallery.
The visitors also strengthened their advantage in the boys’ 15-18 division, where Shin Suzuki and Santi Asuncion remained perfect as a partnership after a 4&3 romp over Alexis Nailga and Roman Tiongko. Cailey Gonzales and Georgina Handog added another North point in the girls’ 11-14 division, edging Brittany Tamayo and Rafella Batican, 1-up, in another thriller.
At that stage, North appeared firmly in control.
But South saved its best for the stretch run, winning crucial matches before North fought back to secure draws in the premier division.
Zuri Bacaloyos and Marqaela Dy hacked out a hard-fought 2-up victory over Mavis Espedido and Quincy Pilac in the girls’ 11-14 division, preserving their perfect 2-0 record in the series. Apple Gotiong and Lois Lane Go capped the South rally with a convincing 5&3 triumph over Lisa Sarines and Rafa Anciano, bouncing back from their Four-ball loss.
The result also added another layer to an increasingly familiar North-South pattern.
Last year, North carried an identical 14 1/2-9 1/2 advantage after the opening two team formats before taking control in the Singles and winning 26 1/2-21 1/2 at The Country Club. North captured 11 of the 24 singles matches and halved two others on the way to the convincing overall victory.
This year’s North side now has another five-point lead to protect—but South has already shown that the gap is anything but safe.
With the hosts refusing to surrender and momentum capable of shifting with every match, the stage is set for another fiercely contested Singles finale.
For North, the task is simple: protect the lead.
For South, the challenge is even clearer: turn another comeback into a complete turnaround.
The post North survives South rally, takes 5-point lead into JPGT singles appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.
Manila Southwoods has, putting it plainly, taken its hosting of the 108th Philippine Open presented by the Philippine Sports Commission rather personally.
From ensuring that its Masters Course is in the best possible condition to taking care of the fans by opening its doors free of charge, the posh layout has gone all out to put its best foot forward and is looking to make a statement this week.
Southwoods also used its fourth and final slot to field Jung Jaehyun, a former standout of its highly successful team program that dominated the PAL Interclub and Fil-Am tournaments, giving the club a strong representation in the $1-million (approximately P64-million) championship.
“I’m excited that the (PH Open) is at that course,” Jung told the Chosun Daily last Sunday after his victory. “The tournament is at a course which I (played) since childhood.”
Jung, who spent 12 years in the Philippines, is coming off an impressive victory in the Korean PGA Tour Championship last Sunday, earning his first win on his home circuit.
The 21-year-old, who goes by the nickname Jeff, grew up playing golf at Southwoods, where his father was an expatriate and club member. He later represented the club for five years in the Interclub and Fil-Am championships before turning professional.
With his victory last Sunday, capped by a flawless eight-under-par 64 in the final round at Teddy Valley Golf and Resort, Jung became the third former Southwoods player to win on a major international tour. The other two are Tom Kim, who has won on the US PGA Tour, and Yuto Katsuragawa, who captured a DP World Tour and Japan Tour event just three weeks ago.
“It just goes to show that our program is working,” Southwoods general manager Jayson Yu said. “Having the boys train here in our facilities is a vision of chairman Bob (Sobrepena) and the board.”
Katsuragawa, who competed in last year’s Philippine Open won by France’s Julien Sale, had initially committed to this year’s edition but eventually had to withdraw after his latest DP World Tour victory secured him a spot in the season-ending Race to Dubai Championship.
“We will be watching Jeff with great pleasure this week and will be rooting for all our boys,” Yu added.
Meanwhile, the bulk of the foreign field has already arrived, with a significant number of players, including former PGA Tour star and LIV Golf mainstay Kevin Na, heading straight to Southwoods to get a feel for the Jack Nicklaus-designed layout.
The post Jung Jaehyun leads Southwoods’ homegrown bets in Philippine Open appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.
The event featured 139 golfers from 10 countries. Professionals competed for a share of the $50,000 prize fund, as well as points for the Official World Golf Ranking and the Sunshine Development Tour Order of Merit.
Edwin Kiplagat, Marabou News Agency
Ghanaian golfer Vincent Torgah won the Lakowe Lakes Golf Classic in Lagos, Nigeria, after a playoff, making him the first winner of a Sunshine Development Tour event in West Africa.
Torgah seemed on track for an easy win until Nigeria’s Kamalu Bako launched a final-round comeback. Bako shot a tournament-best 66, six under par, with eight birdies, to tie Torgah at 213 total strokes after 54 holes. Torgah carded a 70 on the final day, forcing a playoff to settle the title.
Torgah, who recorded rounds of 72, 71, and 70, won the playoff to secure the win at the Lakowe Lakes Golf Club.
“So I was like wow, I had a chance and the pressure was coming. I came back and took the playoff nicely,” Torgah said.
After leading in the first round, Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera bounced back from a second-round score of 75 to shoot a 70 in the final round. He finished tied for third place with Ghana’s Ezekiel Afisco, as both players ended with a two-under-par total of 214.
Cameroon’s Nji Pristhy and Zambia’s Sydney Joseph Wemba tied for fifth place with a level-par 216. Nigeria’s Odeh Alechenu, Mustapha Abubakar, and Augustine Manasseh tied for seventh place alongside Uganda’s Ronald Rugumayo, all finishing at one over par with a 217.
The event featured 139 players from 10 countries. Professionals competed for a share of the $50,000 prize fund, as well as points for the Official World Golf Ranking and the Sunshine Development Tour Order of Merit.
The Sunshine Development Tour will head to Nakuru, Kenya, for its next event. The city will host the Rift Valley Championship from October 25 to 27, 2026.
The tour will return to Nigeria from November 18 to 21 for the Alpha Bravo Golf Classic at the Lakowe Lakes Golf Estate.
Marabou News Agency
The post Ghana’s Vincent Torgah wins first West African sunshine development tour appeared first on Sports Network Africa.
- 1st Serena Captain’s Putter
- Overall Winner: Sahil Halai (43 points)
Uganda golf events’ 19th-hole experiences are often a bit scripted and predictable: dinner, awards, perhaps some entertainment, and everyone calls it a day.
However, on Saturday, September 26, during the Lake Victoria Serena’s inaugural Captain’s Putter Golf Tournament, the case was different.
The event was hosted by Lake Victoria Serena Golf Captain Jimmy Mugerwa, who is also the Chairman of the Uganda Breweries Limited Board and Patron of the Johnnie Walker Blue Club.
The tournament attracted a full field, with golfers teeing off at 12 p.m. from different tee boxes in a shotgun start.
Captain Jimmy Mugerwa teed off at number three, with a whisky toast, and the occasion also marked the launch of the third hole.
A hole-in-one prize was staked at the same hole, with a Kia Seltos up for grabs. However, the prize went unclaimed as no player managed to register a hole-in-one.
Sahil Halai emerged the Overall Winner, scoring 43 points. He received a trophy, a Callaway Odyssey 2-Ball Putter and a Cornerstone Hamper.
“It was an amazing round, unbelievable golf I played out there. You know, one of those, I think it happens to everyone, they say that once in a while you just have a round where everything just keeps going the way it should be. So it was amazing,” Sahil said.
Other winners included Allan Atuhaire (Guest Winner, 39 points), Rhoda Kimera (Ladies Group B, 38 points), Gloria Nanyonga (Ladies Group A, 34 points), Dr John Byabagambi (Men Group C, 35 points), Patrick Sumata (Men Group B, 38 points), and Henry Kibuuka (Men Group A, 39 points).
Side-bet winners included Uganda Golf Union President Dr Jackson Were (Best Recovery Shot), Claver Serumaga (Most Balls in Water), Suresh Patel (Biggest Smile), George Nkya (Best Dressed), Katy Kabenge (Nearest to Pin Ladies), David Batanda (Nearest to Pin Men), Grace Mayiani (Longest Drive Ladies), and Banza Matsiko (Longest Drive Men).
The 19th hole was transformed into a luxurious Johnnie Walker Blue Club social experience, bringing together golfers, Jimmy’s friends, members of Uganda’s business community and Blue Club members, for an evening of whisky, dinner, music and networking.
The festivities kicked off with a Johnnie Walker Blue Label toast on a yacht, led by Captain Jimmy himself, accompanied by Johnnie Walker East Africa Brand Manager, Christine Kyokunda, Lake Victoria Serena Director of Golf, Theo Van Rooyen and other stakeholders.
Later, guests were welcomed to the experience with complimentary Johnnie Walker cocktails of different flavours before settling in for a sumptuous dinner, with live band music playing in the background.
In his address, Mugerwa, also the Patron of the Blue Club, thanked everyone who has contributed to the growth of both the Lake Victoria Serena Golf Society and the Johnnie Walker Blue Club.
In fact, the longest part of his speech was dedicated to recognising different personalities from different walks of life for their contribution and support.
“I was initially a little worried about the weather, but thankfully everything came together beautifully. The inaugural Captain’s Putter has been a tremendous success, and I want to thank our partners, the golfers, the Serena team and everyone who came out to support us,” Mugerwa said.
“We wanted to create an experience that went beyond the golf, bringing people together to enjoy the game, good company and meaningful conversations. I am particularly pleased with how the Johnnie Walker Blue Club experience has come together and how it has brought together not just our members, but different people. I look forward to seeing the Captain’s Putter grow,” he added.
Johnnie Walker’s Kyokunda noted that by taking over the 19th-hole experience, Johnnie Walker was able to give consumers an opportunity to engage with the brand while also introducing more people to the Blue Club.
“We have had an amazing experience, engaging our consumers about the Johnnie Walker brand, and more importantly the Johnnie Walker Blue Club. I am happy to announce that we managed to get more members to sign up for the Blue Club. It’s been quite a wonderful, action-packed and fun-filled day. Golf is very synonymous with our Keep Walking platform, because every step forward counts; this is a platform that we will continue to partner with,” Kyokunda said.
The evening also included a whisky masterclass, while the gifting bar ensured guests had an opportunity to personalise different Johnnie Walker products.
The event featured live music performances from Myko Ouma and the Band, as well as top vocalist Elijah Kitaka, who performed some of the fans’ favourites from his catalogue.
Lake Victoria Serena’s Theo Van Rooyen revealed that the Captain’s Putter will be an annual tournament going forward.
The post Serena’s inaugural Captain’s Putter leaves lasting impressions appeared first on Kawowo Sports.
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