COOL under pressure, Gio Gandionco fired a two-over-par 70 yesterday to post a nine-shot triumph over Justin Quiban in the first-ever Philippine Amateur Junior (Open) championship at the Cebu Country Club in Cebu.
The 16-year-old ace calmly went about his business and watched erstwhile second placer Fezley Chua of Malaysia wilt under pressure right in the first nine to close out with a 54-hole total of 212 over a course he calls home and become the event’s first champion of the centerpiece Group 1.
Chua, who opened up with a 71 to set the pace on Wednesday, skied to an 81 and was easily overtaken by Quiban for runner-up honors in the event serving as the fourth leg of the Globe-National Golf Association of the Philippines circuit and backed by Pancake House, Titleist and Golf Depot.
Quiban birdied Nos. 16 and 18 on the way to a 74-221 and booked one of the most impressive finishes in his career.
Jama Reyes was third, another stroke back after a 73, while Gen Nagai, a Japanese who also helped Cebu Country Club win the Philippine Airline Interclub title in February along with Gandionco and LJ Go, closed out with a 77 for 233.
Chua, one of Malaysia’s top juniors, had three double bogeys in a 40-41 card and finished with a 225 total.
Another standout, Alabang’s Basti Lorenzo, managed an 83 for 230, even as Andres Saldaña, the much-ballyhooed lefty making his last appearance in the junior ranks, churned out a 75 for 231, tied for ninth spot with Raymart Tolentino, who had a 74.
Kristopher Arevalo won top Group 2 honors by 11 shots over Harrison Yu and Jaime Oposa after firing a 74 for 230. Yu and Opose closed out with 78s.
Pamela Mariano of Del Monte, meanwhile, charged home with a 74 and won the girls’ Group 1 crown by a shot over Bianca Pagdanganan, who had a 77. Mariano, a product of the Frankie Minoña Foundation in Bukidnon, tallied 230.
Lois Go also completed a rally in Group 2 by shooting a 74 for 229 and nipping two-day leader Annika Cedo by one after the chubby Cedo closed out with a 79.
Go tallied 229 over 54 holes. Musong R. Castillo