Precious Zaragosa made a stunning comeback to capture the girls’ 15-18 division title at the ICTSI Junior PGT Pueblo de Oro Championship in Cagayan de Oro on Thursday. After trailing by five strokes, Zaragosa forced a playoff and ultimately triumphed over Zero Plete.
In a nail-biting finish, Zaragosa secured her victory with a crucial four-foot par putt after Plete faltered with a missed eight-foot par attempt, leading to a costly three-putt on the ninth hole at Pueblo de Oro Golf and Country Club.
This win marked a significant emotional turnaround for Zaragosa, who had lost narrowly to Plete just a week earlier. Celebrating her first victory in the Visayas-Mindanao Series, Zaragosa expressed her relief and joy, noting how this win boosted her confidence.
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.
Meanwhile, in the boys’ premier division, Alexis Nailga secured his third consecutive title in the series with a solid performance. Despite a challenging final round, he maintained his lead to finish with a score of 229.
Nailga faced pressure from competitors, especially after a double bogey on the par-3 sixth hole. However, his consistent driving and familiarity with the course ultimately helped him hold on for the win.
I wasn’t really checking the scores. My focus was just to make that final putt on the last hole.
Local favorite Martin Lu and Bukidnon's Clement Ordeneza finished tied for second, both falling short after struggling in the final round. Zaragosa and Nailga will advance to the last two legs of the Vis-Min series next month.