Lorenzo forges PH Jr Am title tiff vs Zaragosa

BASTI Lorenzo handled Andres Saldaña with ease yesterday, posting a 3-and-1 victory over the seasoned lefty to forge a title clash for the NGAP-Globe Circuit’s Philippine Junior Amateur (Closed) championship with defending champion Rupert Zaragosa.

The top-seeded Lorenzo was in control throughout his match and earned the chance to go for the biggest win of his career against possibly the country’s best age-grouper at posh Alabang Golf Club.

Zaragosa, the former world 11-12 champion who held both the men’s and boy’s national titles last year, needed to birdie the 19th hole to turn back friend Gabriel Manotoc in the other semifinal of the event backed by Pancake House, Titleist and Golf Depot.

The pint-sized Zaragosa pounced on two miscues by Manotoc in the closing holes to survive, even as Kristopher Arevalo and Christopher Popp, the top two seeds in boy’s Group 2, bundled out separate foes to march to the title match.

Arevalo posted a 3-and-2 victory over Juan Manuel Sajulga, while Popp dismantled Janz Uy, 2 and 1.

Mia Legaspi, ranked first in girls’ Group 1, ousted Gabrielle Bruce, 2 and 1, and will clash with No. 3 Daniella Uy, who turned back the second-seeded Chanelle Avaricio also after 19 holes. The title match will pit Pauleen del Rosario against Bernice Ilas for the girls’ Group 2 diadem.

Del Rosario, who got to the Final Four after a down-the-wire battle with former Pepsi Little People’s champion Abigail Arevalo, 1-up on Thursday, ripped No. 1 Harmie Constantino, 6 and 5.

Ilas took out Samantha Green, 5 and 3, in the other semifinal.