Steady Jayvie posts tour breakthrough

JAYVIE Agojo finally won as a pro on the local tour yesterday after closing out with a one-over 73 and getting a huge lift from Chihiro Ikeda’s back-nine collapse to rule the P500,000 ICTSI Riviera Ladies Classic by three shots at the Couples course in Silang, Cavite.

Agojo stared at a two-shot deficit after 10 holes only for Ikeda to yield the lead on the 11th hole where she signed for a horrendous 10.

The Filipino-Japanese finished second and remained winless after a final round 77.

Counting her opening 69 and 73 Thursday, Agojo tallied 215, the only sub-par total in the 54-hole event, and won P100,000.

Korean amateur Min Jeong-hwang actually claimed a piece of second place with a 75, with Seo Yon-kwon finishing at 220 with a 74.

“I wasn’t really paying attention to the scores,” Agojo said. “I stayed aggressive.”

Ikeda, who started the day one shot ahead of Agojo after a 71 Thursday, had an uncharacteristic butterfly off the tee, needed two shots to get out of a greenside trap to reach the green in six before four-putting for that 10.

She would go on to par her last seven holes, but Agojo built on that two-shot lead after the 11th with two more birdies against a bogey to win the event backed by Nike, Pacsports, Custom Clubmakers and Sharp.

Ikeda picked up P70,000. She is set to fly to Japan soon to resume her campaign there.