Philippine Columbian Open

Pantua cops PCA 16-under title
(Manila Bulletin)

FOURTH-SEEDED Ernesto Pantua III displayed his awesome form to win the PCA Open Juniors boys’ 16-under title over No. 8 Rolee Joven, 6-1, 6-3, yesterday at the PCA outdoor court.

Pantua, who eliminated top seed and newly-crowned Asian 14-Under Series champion Leander Lazaro in the semifinals, won the Manila Polo Club Juniors and two legs of the Head Penn Series early this year.

"I just hit the ball hard," said the 15-year-old Pantua, a high school sophomore at the La Salle-Greenhills.

Favorites Mark Balce, Jacob Lagman, Vince Tabo Tabo and unseeded Fritz Verdad also ruled their respective divisions in the tournament presented by Hewlett Packard and supported by Dunlop, Accel and the Philippine Star.

Top-seeded Balce rallied past unranked Kyle Cordero, 2-6, 7-6 (1), 7-5, for the boys’ 18-under title, Lagman won the 12-under crown over No. 5 Jurence Mendoza, 6-1, 6-0, Tabo Tabo scored a 6-4, 6-3 victory over No. 2 Eric Olivarez Jr. to clinch the 10-under unisex title and Verdad rallied past unseeded John Ribaya, 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-2, to capture the 14-under title.

In the girls division, fourth seed Enah Baba stunned top seed Rachel Lucero, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3, to pocket the 18-under crown, while unseeded Samantha Coyiuto scored a 6-0, 7-6 (7-3) upset win over third seed Shanine Olivarez to claim the 14-under title.

Third seed Erika Lagura ruled the 12-under category over second seed Marian Capadocia, 6-3, 6-4, and No. 1 Regina Santiago bagged the 16-under title over unseeded Patricia Orteza, 6-4, 7-5.

	Author	Topic: Philippine Columbian Open (Read 786 times)
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