Tambalque, Anciano score at Sherwood
Patrick Tambalque used a hot stretch late in the front nine to shoot a two-over-par 74 and bag the centerpiece boys’ 15-18 crown of the ICTSI Sherwood Hills Junior PGT Championship on Thursday at Sherwood Hills Golf Club with a two-shot win over John Paul Agustin Jr. on Thursday.
Tambalque, playing out of Manila Southwoods, erased an early four-shot deficit in the final round with birdies on Nos. 8 and 9, before draining two more from the 12th that meant his first win in the circuit with a 224 tally as Agustin closed out with a 75.
Zach Villaroman finished third after ballooning to an 81, his efforts of keeping in step with Tambalque in the first two rounds going down the drain after a front nine 40 that led to a 231 tally.
“I was down by four shots, but my mindset was just to stay calm and keep going,” said Tambalque in Filipino. “This victory means a lot. I’m really proud of myself that even in such a close fight, I was able to come out on top.”
Meanwhile, Rafa Anciano displayed remarkable composure and maturity to clinch a dominant eight-stroke victory over Levonne Talion in the girls’ 15-18, her closing 83 proving enough over the demanding layout.
Anciano totally erased the memories of a final-round collapse at Eagle Ridge two weeks ago, where she lost to Talion. She totaled 259 as Talion sputtered with an 86.
Tambalque and Talion thus joined Mavis Espedido and Zoji Edoc (7–10), along with siblings Lisa and Vito Sarines (11–14), as champs in the second leg of the seven-stage Luzon series with the third stop set to unfold on Monday at Splendido Taal.
