LUBAO, Pampanga–Jet Hernandez and young Lisa Sarines stayed hot and unrelenting on Thursday, opening up huge leads in their respective divisions in the NGAP’s National Strokeplay Championship that has now left their fields scampering for the crumbs heading into the final two rounds.
The 21-year-old Hernandez gunned down 10 birdies in submitting a second straight seven-under-par 65 to now lead Rolando Bregente by a whopping 12 shots at the halfway mark of the men’s division with a 130 aggregate, while the 14-year-old Sarines matched par in a trying day at the Pinatubo layout of Pradera Verde for a 142 and a seven-shot lead over Tashanah Balangauan.
With the weather clearing somewhat, men’s scoring was a little lower compared to the first round, but Hernandez did not in any way cool off as he opened birdie-birdie and finished the same way for another effort no one in the field even came close to matching.
Effectively the defending champion after having won this event in 2024 before it wasn’t held last year, Hernandez said that he will come out for the next two days with the same mindset as he did in Day 1.
“There are still two rounds to be played,” the psychology senior at University of Denver said. “I will have the same mindset, the same goals and will stay in the present and stay calm (for the last two rounds).”
Chris Remata, also a member of the national men’s pool like Hernandez and Bregente, fired a 72, and Jed Dy returned a 71 to be a stroke behind Bregente and well within range of a podium finish even as Vito Sarines, the 13-year-old who started the day in second spot seven shots behind, skied to a 78 to now be 20 strokes off the pace.
Also in the mix for a top three finish in the men’s race are Paolo Barro and Emilio Hernandez, who fired a 74 and 75, in that order, to be at 148, just a stroke behind Remata. Jacob Rolida is another two shots back like Vito Sarines after shooting a 76.
Lisa Sarines, meanwhile, labored under a slow start, as she actually rallied from a two-over card after her first 10 holes as birdies on the 11th and 17th salvaged her level round.
Balangauan, a multiple leg winner in the Junior PGT series, had seven bogeys in a 76 and would need a really low third round to make a case for the title on Friday. She is, however, still five shots clear of the third-running Precious Zaragosa, who also submitted a 76.
Johanna Uyking was 16 shots behind Lisa Sarines after a 77, with Crista Minoza another stroke off after skying to an uncharacteristic 80 littered by an 18th hole double bogey and seven bogeys.
