INQUIRER Sports

TEEN GOLFER LAWRENCE CELESTINO captured the Faldo Series Philippines Championship crown after finishing with a 223 tally for a three-shot win over Agustin Mata recently at the Tat Filipinas Golf Club in San Pedro, Laguna.

Both Celestino and Mata, who claimed the Under-16 title with a 226, also earned berths in the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final at the Mission Hills Golf Club in China.

The 18-year-old Celestino, playing out of Eagle Ridge, showed his class on Day 2 with an even-par round of 72 before cruising to a 75 in the third and final round.

Princess Superal also ruled the girls? category to claim the third and final automatic qualifying spot at Mission Hills.

The 13-year-old Superal posted a 235 aggregate, five ahead of Mia Legaspi, for her third straight win since topping her age-group in the Asia-Pacific meet in Bangalore, India.

The Faldo Series served as the seventh leg of the ICTSI Jungolf Summer Circuit organized by the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines.

More than 50 jungolfers saw action in the Philippine qualifying at Tat Filipinas, located 30 minutes drive from Manila.

Last year?s winner Jobim Carlos, though, skipped the tournament after opting to play in Singapore along with the other members of the ICTSI pool.

The tournament is also endorsed by the Asian Tour and the Asia Pacific Golf Federation .