For Rolando Bregente and Lyceum of the Philippines University-Cavite, it was all about making a statement.

The 23-year-old on Sunday closed out with an eagle 3 on the 18th for a three-under-par 68 to win the individual title in the ICTSI Intercollegiate Tour’s Beverly Place stop in Mexico in Pampanga, where he and his fellow Pirates sent a strong message to the rest of the field of what they will have to contend with next year.

Playing just their first event, Bregente and the Pirates went on to rule the three-to-play, two-to-count team event by five shots over the University of the Philippines-1 to complete a debut like no other, never mind if they failed to make the finals because of a rule that needs them to play at least two legs of the circuit.

“We just completed our team and played just our first tournament together,” Bregente told the Inquirer in Filipino over the phone after he upstaged the circuit’s big guns like St. Benilde’s Sean Granada, who had to settle for second spot after carving out a 70.

“Of course, we would have liked to be in the finals, but it is what it is,” the second-year business marketing student went on. “For us, just being able to show that we deserve to be in this tournament is OK. There’s always a next year.”

Winning shot

Bregente lofted a gorgeous shot from off the last green, as the ball gently rolled into the cup for what proved to be the winning stroke.

“There was some luck involved with that shot,” Bregente, a veteran of six PAL Interclub wars, counting the title-winning stint of Eastridge-Primehomes early this year in Cebu, said.

Together with the 76 of Michael Bolano, Lyceum tallied 144 as University of the Philippines-1, led by the 74 of Joshua Buenaventura, wound up second, with La Salle-1 settling for third.

Zach Castro led the Green Archers with a 74 as Bregente stole the thunder from what was expected to be a three-cornered fight for the individual title, counting Granada and Buenaventura. The trio had split wins in the first three legs of the circuit.

Meanwhile, Round 4 of the ladies division is set on Aug. 24 at Eastridge.

All eyes will be on La Salle-1’s Julia Lua, who is expected to return after missing the last two legs. INQ