Martirez, Ilas rule California tourney

SAM MARTIREZ and Bernice Olivarez-Ilas sustained their winning run as they ruled the 26th Annual Costa Mesa Championship in California over the weekend.

The defending champion Martirez fired a final-round one-under 69 to nip Chinese Ping Huang by one in the 14-18 years division.

Martirez likewise snared the premier 14-18 crown of the Summer Golf Championship at Skylinks Golf Club, also in California, last week.

Olivarez-Ilas, the 12-13 winner at Skylinks, finished with a 145 for a 12-shot victory over American Kamille Dimayuga (157-77).

Martirez, the top ICTSI-The Country Club team mainstay, looked headed for a runaway triumph after posting a three-shot lead over Ping with two holes to go. But Martirez failed to rescue a par from the par-3 17th and three-putted for a double-bogey, enabling Ping to forge a tie going to the par-4 18th.

Martirez then hit her approach shot to within 12 feet before drilling in the putt that stunned Ping, who flubbed her own try from six feet.

“It was a pressure-packed putt and she proved up to the task,” said Team ICTSI-TCC coach Bong Lopez.

Abby Arevalo rallied with a 67 to snatch fourth place at 142, Sofia Chabon placed fifth (143-71) and Pauline del Rosario sixth (147-73).