Ababa pulls off five-shot triumph
CLARK Freeport Zone, Philippines — Jhonnel Ababa came out on top of a gut-wrenching battle of wits and nerves, fashioning out a five-stroke triumph on a late but decisive three-shot swing on No. 16 that stymied Michael Bibat’s stab at ICTSI Mimosa Plus Championship glory here yesterday.
Ababa’s day-long brilliance set him apart from the rest and netted him a second championship at the close of the 10-leg Philippine Golf Tour season as he reset the course mark with an unblemished eight-under 64 for a whopping 22-under 266 total over four rounds of intense duel of shotmaking, iron play and putting at Acacia course.
He beat Bibat, who played in a group ahead, and flightmate Dino Villanueva by five after both carded 69s for 271s while three-day leader Guido Van der Valk squandered a three-under card with a double-bogey, bogey finish on a course whose closing holes not only tested the chief contenders’ skills but also their mental toughness despite yielding a run of under-par scores in all four days.
The Dutchman wound up with a 72 and fell to fourth at 272 while Nilo Salahog and Keanu Jahns tied for fifth at 274 after a 70 and 71, respectively, and Tony Lascuña carded a 69 for joint seventh at 276 with Elmer Salvador, who also faded with three bogeys in the last eight holes after an eagle-spiked frontside 33 for a 72.
Marvin Dumandan, who lost in a four-hole playoff to Justin Quiban in the last PGT leg at South Pacific in Davao, charged back with a 68 to tie Elee Bisera, who shot a 69, Sean Ramos and Iloilo leg runaway winner Rupert Zaragosa, who matched 71s, at ninth at 277.
