Zaragosa repeats as PH Jr Am champion

RUPERT Zaragosa announced his return to peak form yesterday by ripping Basti Lorenzo, 6 and 5, to repeat as the NGAP-Globe circuit’s Philippine Junior Amateur (Closed) champion at the exclusive Alabang layout in Muntinlupa.

With a well-rounded game, Zaragosa attacked the pins with reckless abandon and raced to a 2-up lead after the first nine holes before pulling away to complete the lopsided win over the top-seeded Lorenzo.

From 1-down after Lorenzo birdied the third, Zaragosa won the fifth, a par-5 hole which Lorenzo bogeyed, before winning the seventh with a birdie to set the tone for the rout in the centerpiece event of the tournament backed by Pancake House, Titleist and Golf Depot.

Zaragosa then gunned down two more birdies in the 10th and 12th holes for a 4-up lead as he showed he has fully recovered from a drink poisoning early in the year which sidelined him for some time.

Top-ranked Mia Legaspi was also dominating in the girl’s Group 1 finals, posting a 4-and-3 win over Daniella Uy even as Kristoffer Arevalo and Pauleen del Rosario captured the Group 2 titles.

Arevalo scored a 2-and-1 victory over Christopher Popp in the boys’ division while Del Rosario downed Bernice Ilas, 3 and 2, in the girls’ category. Steve Silva, Contributor