Zaragosa, Uy poised for title double

MANILA, Philippines — Trailing for most of the match, Rupert Zaragosa waited for the right time to strike and  gut out a 2 and 1 win over South Korea’s Park Min-ung Thursday and arrange a title clash for the Philippine Junior Amateur Open match play championship with unheralded Ramir Roque.

Zaragosa gunned down four birdies in a six-hole stretch from No. 10 to climb out of a 2-hole deficit and went on to maintain his mastery over Park and secure a place in the final match of the event presented by the MVP Sports Foundation as part of the PLDT Group Amateur Tour at the exclusive Alabang layout.

While Zaragosa was expected to get this far, no one gave Roque a second look until the 17-year-old from Bukidnon bundled out top-seeded Gen Nagai of Japan 4 and 2 in the quarterfinals.

Roque then completed his march to the finals with a 7 and 6 win over 13-year-old Baguio native Luigi Paolo Wong.

Daniella Uy and Mikhaella Fortuna, meanwhile, sealed a title showdown in the women’s division of the event also backed by Pancake House, Golf Depot and Pacsports.

Uy, who like Zaragosa is chasing a title double after winning the women’s match play crown also at Orchard, took care of No. 1 Princess Superal, 2 and 1, while Fortuna scored a 4 and 3 win over Ashia Marie Nocum to advance.

“I am very, very happy to come out on top of a match like that,” Zaragosa said in Filipino. “There were no giveaway holes in that match. We needed to score birdies to win holes. It was a pleasure being just part of it.”

The 16-year-old Zaragosa made the turn trailing by two holes before touching off that cluster of birdies on the 10th hole.