16/07/2025
Golf: 𝗪𝗔𝗖𝗔𝗡 𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗗𝗦 𝗢𝗙𝗙 𝗕𝗜𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗔 𝗧𝗢 𝗡𝗔𝗜𝗟 𝗝𝗣𝗚𝗧 𝗖𝗥𝗢𝗪𝗡
TRIBUNE NEWS DAVAO (July 16, 2025) – AJ Wacan clawed back from two strokes down with a brilliant frontside finish, then held his ground in a tense backline duel with Adrian Bisera to claim a confidence-boosting victory in the boys’ 15-18 division of the ICTSI Apo Golf Junior PGT Championship today.
The 16-year-old shot a final-round 71 to edge Bisera by one in a duel of homegrown talents with a one-over 217 total over 54 holes. But the slim margin didn’t reflect the control Wacan exerted throughout the final round, where he carried a three-stroke lead heading into the par-5 18th and looked all set for a comfortable cruise to the title.
Then came the twist.
Bisera, facing a stiff headwind, unleashed a towering 4-iron from 230 yards after a solid 3-wood off the tee. The ball landed some two pin-lengths short, bounced three times – and dropped straight into the cup.
Albatross
One of the rarest feats in golf – far less common than a hole-in-one – Bisera’s double eagle sent a jolt through the gallery and gave him a closing 74 for a 218 total.
Still, it wasn’t enough to catch Wacan, whose steady poise throughout the round proved decisive in his first major junior victory. He two-putted for par on the 18th to clinch the victory.
Three-leg winner Alexis Nailga struggled with an 80 to place a distant third at 231, while David Teves shot a 75 for fourth with a 232.
“It’s a great feeling to win at home,” said Wacan, who lost to Bisera by 11 strokes in last week’s South Pacific leg, in Filipino. “Playing these past two weeks really taught me how to stay light and happy on the course. I’ve learned not to let distractions or frustration get the better of me, and just enjoy the game.”�
Looking ahead, he added: “I know I still have a lot to work on, especially my long game and putting, and I’m determined to keep improving.”
Two strokes down after 36 holes, the 16-year-old Wacan pulled ahead with back-to-back birdies from No. 8, fueling a decisive surge that flipped the script in his favor. With a lean frame that belies a fearless approach to pressure, he showcased that golf is more than just brute strength – it's a delicate blend of power, precision and poise.
He birdied the par-3 No. 7 from eight feet, then followed it up with another from four feet on the next hole, while Bisera faltered with a bogey. Another miscue from Bisera on No. 9 resulted in a frontside 40, while Wacan’s steady 35 catapulted him to a three-shot lead at the turn.
An opening 72 had given Wacan the early edge, but Bisera used his length to card four birdies in Round 2 and seize the lead heading into the final day, aiming for back-to-back wins in the Mindanao swing of the regional series organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. But on Wednesday, Bisera couldn’t find his rhythm, carding five bogeys against a lone birdie on the front nine.
Wacan closed out with a steady even-par finish, carding one birdie against a lone bogey at the back, while Bisera pulled within two with a birdie on No. 11 but slipped back with bogeys on Nos. 12 and 15 before capping his round with a spectacular final-hole feat.
Family celebration
AJ’s cousin, Merry Rose Wacan made it a family celebration with a breakthrough victory in the girls’ 15-18 category. After narrowly losing to Del Monte’s Crista Miñoza at South Pacific, she came back with a vengeance, outclassing Del Monte leg winner Zero Plete by seven shots with a 237 total, despite a closing 83 in scorching conditions.
Starting the day five shots ahead of Miñoza, Merry Wacan, 15, pulled away as her rival bowed out after a frontside 45, citing dizziness. Plete stepped up as the challenger but could only manage a 79 for second at 244, while Mikela Guillermo carded an 82 to finish third at 264.
Merry Rose Wacan also expressed pride in her breakthrough performance.�
“I’m really happy to get my first win here at Apo,” she said in Filipino. “This experience showed me how important it is to stay focused on the task at hand, no matter what’s happening around me. That mindset really helped me stay steady throughout the round.”
The Wacans thus joined fellow Davao standout Soleil Molde on the winners’ podium at the close of the four-leg Mindanao swing of the seven-stage Visayas-Mindanao Series.
Molde earlier ruled the girls’ 7-10 division, sharing top honors with boys’ 7-10 champion Jamie Barnes of Cagayan de Oro, along with 11-14 division winners Jared Saban and Brittany Tamayo, both representing South Cotabato.
Meanwhile, the last two legs of the Visayas series – postponed due to the eruption of Mount Kanlaon last May – have been rescheduled for Sept. 15-17 at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club, and Sept. 18-20 at the Bacolod Golf Club in Binitin, Murcia.
Keen competition is seen in the final two legs of the Visayas swing as bidders gear up for a last push to secure berths in the national finals. The series serves as a qualifying event for the ICTSI North vs South Elite Junior Finals slated for Oct. 7-10 at The Country Club, where the top four players from each age division will square off against Luzon’s best.
