MANILA, Philippines – Sofia Chabon and Bernice Olivarez-Ilas came away with victories in their respective divisions in varying fashions to complete The Country Club’s sweep of the FCG Callaway World Championship at The Westin Mission Hills’ Peter Dye Course in California Wednesday.
The 16-year-old Chabon, who racked up seven titles abroad last year, salvaged an even par 70 in the final round then thwarted Hong Kong’s Virginie Ding with a par on the first playoff hole to clinch the girls’ 15-18 crown.
Chabon, on a home study program at The Masters Academy, thus completed her fightback from three shots down in the opening round of the 54-hole tournament, one of a number of events put up by the Future Champions Golf to inspire the youth worldwide and prepare them for college level play.
Ilas, on the other hand, stamped her class in the 13-14 category, birdying three of the last seven holes for a 32 and a 68 and a three-stroke romp over Chinese Jiaman Ni.
Enjoying top form since winning a pro title back home at Beverly Place, Ilas put on rounds of 68 and 69 to surge past a faltering Camille Boyd of the US, who sizzled with a 64 start only to falter with a 76 in the second round.
Ilas actually sputtered in the early going of the final round, bogeying the first two holes but fought back with birdies on Nos. 5 and 6, dropped another stroke on the next but turned on the heat at the back, birdying No. 12 then closing out with back-to-back birdie feats to run away with the crown at 205.
Ni rallied with a 67 but could only finish with a 208 while Boyd settled for a 70 for a 210.