Rival’s 40-foot birdie denies Dy in Jr World

SAN DIEGO, California—Hitting one gutsy shot after another amid the strong gusts in the back nine, Jed Dy patiently waited for the one birdie that he knew would ultimately decide the wild chase for the title.

Unfortunately, it was not him who holed it.

Dy heard the wild cheers that erupted from the gallery in the flight ahead after Japanese-American Tatsuki Namoto rammed in a 40-footer for birdie on the 17th hole.

That proved to be the tournament winner and Dy settled for the runner-up trophy in the boys’ 9-10 years division of the 47th Callaway Junior World Championship at Lawrence Welk Resort’s Fountain course here on Thursday (Friday in Manila).

The decisive birdie came moments after Dy forged a tie with Namoto on the 16th, leaving them in a you-or-me duel as the six other players involved in the mad chase for the trophy faded off one after the other.

The final four holes saw the Filipino bungle three birdie attempts—one from four feet on the 15th, another from 24 feet on the 16th and still another from eight feet on the 17th—that cleared the way for Namoto’s payback victory. It came three years after he lost to Dy in the battle for the 7-8 years crown at another venue.

Namoto, two shots off the leaders overnight, won it this time with a three-under 59 for a 54-hole total of 180 against the 181 of Dy, whose 61 hardly justified a day of solid shotmaking at the hazard-laden course.

“It just wasn’t meant to be. Jed played so well today but couldn’t make the putts,” said Dy’s father, Bobby, who expressed confidence that the loss will motivate Jed to do better in a young golf career that’s already dotted with a horde of international titles.

The loss, however, still smelled like victory for the 46-strong Philippine contingent here. Dy’s runner-up finish stands to become the country’s best performance pending the completion of the girls’ 15-17 play at Torrey Pines North on Friday where only Daniella Uy still has a crack at winning.

Uy, set to join Gonzaga State U on a golf scholarship starting this year, continued her steady form with a third-round score of 72 and a 212 total, five shots off the lead. Miya Legaspi struggled to a 74 and dropped to a share of 11th at 215 with compatriot Princess Superal, who returned her best score in three days of two-under 70.

The boys’ 15-17 bets were all wiped out as no one qualified for final-round action with Raymart Tolentino the best-placed among them at 81st after a sorry 77-231.

Bernice Ilas and Harmie Constantino posted top 10 finishes while Sean Granada wound up 11th for the only other worthy showings by Filipinos in the lower divisions.

Ilas shared fourth in the girls’ 11-12 play at Rancho Bernardo Inn course with her 72-216, just two strokes off the winning score, while Constantino placed sixth in girls’ 13-14 with a 73-212 at Country Club of Rancho Bernardo where Thai Tavatanakit completed her victory romp with a closing 68 for a tournament-record 23-under total of 193.

Granada (63-188) was the best finisher among the Filipino boys with his 11th place showing in the boys’ 7-8 years.

“Jed Dy showed he was a fighter, aside from his solid ball striking. We’re looking at a kid who will be in championship contention in more Junior World competitions,” said Luigi Tabuena, president of the Jungolf Foundation of the Philippines. “All the kids tried their best. We now have to prepare them better and harder next year.”