Zaragosa nails victory double

MANILA—Ruperto Zaragosa III, a 5-foot bundle of talent and determination, yesterday rewrote Philippine Amateur golf history by ruling the 2011 Closed Men’s championship with a come-from-behind 3-and-2 win over Jik-Jik Abdon at Wack Wack’s fabled East course.

Zaragosa dominated the final nine of their 36-hole match, taking four holes in a five-hole stretch from No. 12 to become, at just over 13 years, the youngest winner of the event which Carito Villaroman and Artemio Murakami won as 15-year-olds in the past.

The son of former touring pro Boyet Zaragosa also earned the sole distinction as the first junior titlist to win the men’s crown, a feat the incoming sophomore at Don Bosco Canlubang admitted hasn’t sunk in yet.

“I am very happy and I dedicate this win to my family,” Zaragosa, who debuted as a Canlubang mainstay in the PAL Interclub last February, told the Inquirer. “Holding both titles is special since I came to this tournament hoping to just qualify (for the match play stages).”

The win also more than made up for his father’s runner-up finish behind Jerome Delariarte in the 2004 Philippine Amateur in 2004.

Zaragosa won the junior version over Andres Saldaña two weeks ago at Alabang and took his fine form to Wack Wack where he fired the lowest round in qualifying—a level 72—on a course that recently hosted the Philippine Open.

Dottie Ardina captured the women’s title after  a 2-and-1 decision over close friend Chihiro Ikeda in the tournament presented by Pancake House and SOC Land and backed by Great Depot, Callaway and Odyssey Golf and organized by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.

Abdon, the 20-year-old member of the ICTSI-Canlubang pool, admitted to getting fatigued in the second 18 holes as he failed to cling to a 1-up lead after a routine par on the 11th.

Zaragosa drained an uphill four-footer for birdie on the 15th to go 2-up. The match ended on the par-3 No. 16 when Abdon pushed his tee shot into a hazard for a double bogey 5.

Earlier, Gus Mata won on the 20th hole over Miggy Yee for third place, and top seed Andie Unson salvaged a par on the 18th hole to post a similar finish in women’s play with a 1-up victory over Sunshine Baraquiel.