Oro, Balangauan shine bright in Bacolod finale
BACOLOD—John Rey Oro knew he had something to prove. After finishing fifth in the previous leg, the 18-year-old stormed back with a poised, if tense, closing round to win the boys’ 15-18 division of the ICTSI Bacolod Junior PGT Championship on Saturday.
“I felt a bit pressured in the last few holes, but I knew I had a big lead, so it was okay,” said Oro, who carded a two-over 72 and finished with an eight-over 218 total despite closing with three bogeys in his last four holes. “My putting was solid, and my driving and chipping were also on point.”
His decisive moment came on the 11th hole, a dog-leg par-4 where he tapped in for birdie just as rival Mhark Fernando unraveled with a double bogey. It was a three-shot swing that sealed the race.
Though Fernando faltered late to a 76, he still earned enough points to qualify for the Elite Junior Finals. John Paul Oro, John Rey’s twin, edged Fernando for runner-up honors via countback after a 75, capping it with a 20-foot birdie on the 18th.
The twins, however, fell short of qualifying for the Finals, having played only two of the required three legs. “It’s really sad—we were just one tournament short,” said John Rey. “That’s why we said we’d make up for it here in Bacolod.”
In the girls’ side, Cebu’s Tashanah Balangauan delivered a statement win over rival Precious Zaragosa with a final-round 70 and a 13-shot triumph.
